/a 


LIBRARY  OF  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


"Ti  _ _ 

BT  201  . B662  1874 

Bonar,  Horatius,  1808-1889. 

The  Christ  of  God 


\ 


ir  ,  f 

W; 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/christofgodOObona 


J  v  Cr 


THE  CHRIST  OF  GOD. 


‘  In  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily  ’ 
(Col.  ii.  9). 


‘We  believe,  and  aiie  sure,  that  Tiiou  art  that  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God  ’  (John  vi.  69). 


‘The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  ’  (John 

i.  14). 


‘Blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  be¬ 
lieved’  (John  xx.  29). 


*  He  that  believeth  that  Jeslts  is  tiie  Christ  is  born  of 
God  ’  (1  John  v.  1). 


CHRIST  OF  GOD. 


BY 


HORATIUS  BONAE,  D.D. 


‘  I  believe  that  thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.’— John  xi.  27 


NEW  YORK: 

ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS. 

1  874. 


MURRAY  AND  GIBB,  EDINBURGH, 

1  RINTERS  TO  HER  MAJESTY’S  STATIONERY  OFFICE. 


PREFACE. 


IT  DO  not  know  that  I  can  preface  the  following 
Chapters  more  suitably  than  by  quoting  the 
words  of  the  Apostle  John  in  his  First  Epistle : — 

That  which  was  from  the  beginning, 

Which  we  have  heard, 

Which  we  have  seen  with  our  eyes, 

Which  we  have  gazed  upon, 

Which  our  hands  have  handled, 

Of  the  Word  of  life  ; 

For  the  life  was  manifested, 

And  we  have  seen  it, 

And  bear  witness, 

And  show  unto  you 
That  ETERNAL  LIFE 

Which  was  with  the  Father, 

And  was  manifested  unto  us. 

In  such  marvellous  words  does  the  beloved  dis¬ 
ciple  describe  the  Person  of  Him  who  is  ‘  the  Christ 
of  God.’  Let  them  suffice  for  an  introduction  to 
this  volume.  They  give  us  some  insight  into  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord :  naming  His  eternal  name ;  proclaiming  His 
eternal  ancestry ;  showing  us  the  mystery  of  His 
ineffable  Person ;  introducing  us  into  the  fulness 


VI 


PREFACE. 


of  His  love ;  giving  us  a  glimpse  of  His  glorious 
light ;  exhibiting  Him  as  the  fountainhead  of  life  ; 
demonstrating  to  us  the  absolute  certainty  of  the 
things  made  known  concerning  Him,  so  that  there 
might  not  be  on  any  mind  the  shadow  of  a  doubt 
concerning  either  His  grace  or  His  glory. 

Then,  after  the  wondrous  enumeration  which  He 
has  thus  given,  the  apostle  thus  announces  the 
meaning  and  bearing  of  ajl  this  upon  our  own 
Christian  life, — the  life  which  begins  in  believing 

'  o  o 

the  record  which  God  has  given  of  His  Son : — ■ 

‘  That  which  we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto 

YOU,  THAT  YE  ALSO  MAY  HAVE  FELLOWSHIP  WITH  US  :  AND  TRULY 
OUR  FELLOWSHIP  IS  WITH  THE  FATHER,  AND  WITH  HlS  SON  JESUS 

Christ.  And  these  things  write  we  unto  you,  that  your 
j  oy  may  be  full.  ’ 

Tor  nothing  less  than  the  fulness  of  joy  is  meant 
to  be  the  portion  of  him  who  believeth  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and  nothing  short  of 
walking  in  the  light  of  God  ought  to  be  the  life 
of  him  who  has  received  this  Christ,  and  in  receiv¬ 
ing  Him,  has  become  a  son  of  Him  of  whom  it  is 
written,  ‘  God  is  light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness 
at  all.’ 


The  Change,  Nov.  IS 73. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP. 

I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 
Y. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 


THE  DIVINE  PURPOSE, . 

THE  FULNESS  OF  THE  CHRIST, 

7  *  •  •  • 

Israel’s  Messiah  the  chrtst  of  the  new  testament, 
peter’s  confession  of  the  Christ,  .... 

THOU  ART  THE  CHRIST.  WHAT  THEN  ? 

WHAT  FOLLOWS  THIS  CONFESSION,  .... 
GOD’S  MIGHTY  WORK  IN  AND  THROUGH  THE  CHURCH,  . 
LIFE  THROUGH  FAITH  IN  THE  CHRIST  OF  GOD, 

ABIDING  IN  THE  SON  AND  IN  THE  FATHER,  . 

THE  FUTURE  GLORY  OF  THE  CHRIST,  .... 


PAGK 

1 

22 


07 

oi 


55 


6  S 
124 
144 
158 
175 
190 


I 


\ 


I 


' 


/ 


. 


THE  CHRIST  OF  GOD. 


— ♦ — 

CHAP  TEE  I. 

THE  DIVINE  PURPOSE. 

‘  f  I  ^HEEE  came  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying, 
This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased’  (Matt.  iii.  17  ;  Mark  i.  11 ;  Luke  iii.  22). 

Let  us  read  these  words  as  the  utterance  of 
the  divine  mind  concerning  Him  who  is  called 
‘  the  Christ  of  God’  (Luke  ix.  20),  or  ‘the  Lord’s 
Christ’  (Luke  ii.  26),  or  ‘Christ  the  Lord’  (Luke 
ii.  11).  Let  us  learn  from  them  also  the  divine 
estimate  of  Him  whom  man  refused  to  love,  who 
was  ‘despised  and  rejected  of  men,’  who  ‘came  unto 
His  own,  and  His  own  received  Him  not.’ 

That  peculiar  name,  ‘the  Christ  of  God/  em¬ 
bodies  in  it  not  so  much  the  thoughts  of  God  as 

the  thought  of  God,  the  summing  up  of  all  His 

A 


2 


The  Christ  of  God. 


thoughts,  the  one  great  idea,  the  root  and  centre 
of  all  others,  containing  in  it  that  which  it  will 
require  eternity  to  evolve  :  for  He  to  whom  that 
thought  pertains  is  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the 
beginning  and  the  ending,  the  first  and  the  last. 
(Eev.  i.  8,  11,  17.) 

That  great  thought,  thus  embodied  in  the  person 
of  the  Christ  of  God,  concerns  us.  It  does  not 
name  us,  nor  our  earth,  and  yet  it  has  respect  to 
both ;  and,  in  the  history  of  this  Christ,  our  own 
everlasting  history  is  contained.  The  right  know¬ 
ledge  of  Him,  then,  must  be  of  infinite  moment  to 
us.  To  know  Him  rightly  must  be  our  very  life ; 
to  know  Him  wrongly,  or  not  to  know  Him  at  all, 
must  be  very  death. 

This  great  thought  of  God  contains  in  it  all 
that  is  worthy  of  the  name  of  truth  ;  and  espe¬ 
cially  does  it  contain  the  highest  form  of  truth,  or 
that  which  we  call  wisdom,  for  wisdom  is  but  the 
purest  and  highest  kind  of  truth;  and  the  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  highest  form  of  truth  must  bring  with 
it  the  highest  form  of  light,  and  peace,  and  liberty. 
‘  We  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  makes  us  free’ 
(John  viii.  32) :  for  all  error  is  bondage,  it  may  be 
of  the  mind,  or  the  conscience,  or  the  heart ;  all 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


3 


error  is  darkness  and  disquietude :  it  is  truth  that 
illuminates  and  gladdens.  The  Christ,  as  the  Truth, 
liberates  us,  as  the  Truth  He  gives  peace,  as  the 
Truth  He  enlightens.  For  Him  there  can  he  no 
substitute  to  man.  The  fulness  deposited  in  Him 
is  to  he  found  nowhere  else.  He  only  is  *  the 
Wisdom  of  God,’  and  it  is  that  Wisdom  with  which 
man  has  to  do.  He  needs  it,  and  it  was  appointed 
for  him.  When  Jesus  said,  ‘  Learn  of  me,’  He  spoke 
as  the  Wisdom  of  God,  offering  to  reveal  to  us  that 
wisdom  in  which  rest  is  contained  for  the  weary. 
For  true  wisdom  is  true  rest,  and  divine  wisdom 
is  divine  rest. 

But  this  wisdom  expresses  itself  in  a  purpose. 
That  purpose  is  the  result  of  thought,  and  the 
embodiment  of  this  highest  wisdom.  God’s  pur¬ 
pose  in  regard  to  man  and  man’s  world  is  wrapt 
up  in  ‘  the  Christ  of  God.’  This  is  called  f  the 
mystery  of  His  will,  according  to  His  good  plea¬ 
sure  which  He  hath  purposed  in  Himself,  that 
in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  the  times 
He  might  gather  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
which  are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on  earth,  even 
in  Him,  in  whom  we  also  have  obtained  an  in¬ 
heritance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the 


4  The  Christ  of  Gocl. 

purpose  of  Him  who  worketh  all  things  after  THE 
counsel  of  His  own  will,  that  we  should  he  to 
the  praise  of  His  glory’  (Eph.  i.  8-12). 

God’s  purpose,  then,  takes  definite  form  in 
Christ,  and  all  the  various  parts  of  that  infinite 
purpose  are  connected  with  Him.  The  purpose  is, 
like  the  Purposer,  eternal,  but  the  form  of  it 
belongs  to  time.  The  first  announcement  of  the 
purpose  was  in  Paradise,  to  our  first  parents  ;  the 
first  visible  unfolding  of  it  was  at  Bethlehem,  and 
seemed  nothing  but  a  small  fragment  of  human 
history,  the  birth  of  a  poor  Jewish  child,  in  a 
southern  village  of  Palestine,  under  the  open  sky. 
They  who  saw  this  did  not  comprehend  it,  nor 
read  in  it  anything  great  or  glorious.  They 
could  not  have  fathomed  it,  even  had  they  tried 
to  do  so ;  but  they  did  not  try,  because  it  seemed 
too  insignificant  to  touch  upon  anything  but  the 
interests  of  an  obscure  Galilean  family.  Angels 
might  see  something  of  its  hidden  magnificence ; 
man  did  not.  It  was  a  seed,  the  growth  and 
fruit  of  which  were  to  spread  over  the  universe, 
and  reach  on  into  the  ages  to  come  ;  but  the  seed 
was  unrecognised  by  human  eyes  :  no  one  saw  in 
it  the  greatest  of  all  the  great  things  that  had 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


5 


come  to  pass  from  the  beginning  of  time.  In  its 
undeveloped  glory  it  lay  as  a  common  piece  of 
Jewish  village-story,  none  understanding  the  differ¬ 
ence  between  that  birth  and  any  other  birth  that 
had  there  taken  place ;  none  reading  in  it  the  first 
visible  revelation  of  Jehovah’s  eternal  purpose,  nor 
imagining  the  wonders  of  grace,  and  power,  and 
wisdom  which  were  wrapt  up  in  it,  and  to  emerge 
from  it  in  the  fulness  of  time.  Who  among  the 
ten  thousands  of  Israel  connected  with  that  child 
the  destinies  of  the  universe  ?  And  how  many, 
even  of  believing  Israelites,  gathered  around  that 
stony  cradle,  to  sing  the  ancient  song  they  knew 
so  well :  ‘  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son 
is  given ;  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  His 
shoulder :  and  His  name  shall  be  called,  Wonder¬ 
ful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace  ’  ?  (Isa.  ix.  6.)  His 
mother  might  ‘  keep  all  these  things,  and  ponder 
them  in  her  heart’  (Luke  ii.  19);  but  how  little 
did  even  she  comprehend  the  breadth  and  length, 
the  height  and  depth,  of  the  infinite  plan  thus 
visibly  announced  !  Yet  in  that  cradle  was 
deposited  the  eternal  purpose,  and  that  mother’s 
arms  encompassed  that  purpose  as  they  clasped 


6  The  Christ  of  God. 

the  babe  on  whose  history  all  history  was  to 
turn. 

It  was  the  sin  of  man  that  drew  out  this  great 
purpose  into  shape ;  for  always  has  God  made  use 
of  human  failure  for  revealing  more  of  Himself  and 
of  His  truth.  There  had  been  a  previous  failure  of 
creaturehood ;  but  the  purpose  was  not  connected 
with  that,  nor  did  that  failure  draw  out  any  mani¬ 
festation  of  God,  or  any  announcement  of  His  pur¬ 
pose.  Tor  the  fulness  of  the  times  did  that  purpose 
wait,  hidden  in  the  counsels  of  Godhead ;  yet  ready 
to  come  forth,  when  the  exigencies  of  the  second 
race  of  creaturehood  furnished  the  long  waited  for 
opportunity.  Now  that  the  instability  of  creature¬ 
hood  had  been  twice  over  demonstrated,  the  needed 
deliverance  comes ;  and  the  purpose  of  deliverance 
is  embodied  in  the  Child  of  Bethlehem,  the  Word 
made  flesh.  God  becometh  man,  that  man  may  not 
only  he  replaced  in  his  former  state,  hut  lifted  up 
to  a  higher  level, — ‘  made  partaker  of  the  divine 
nature.’  Creaturehood  has  been  twice  broken  to 
pieces ;  now  God  steps  in  to  accomplish  these  two 
things :  (1)  to  lay  such  a  foundation  for  it  that  it 
shall  never  fall  again ;  (2)  to  impart  to  it  an 
excellency  such  as  it  could  not  have  otherwise 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


7 


possessed.  Both  these  ends  are  accomplished  by 
linking  together  the  divine  and  the  human  in  a 
way  such  as  could  not  before  have  been  conceived 
possible, — by  the  Son  of  God  becoming  bone  of  our 
bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh,  that  thus  we  might  be 
members  of  His  body,  of  His  flesh  and  of  His  bones. 

That  cwe  are  His  offspring’  (Acts  xvii.  28)  was 
always  true ;  but  now  it  is  doubly  so, — true  in  a 
higher  sense  and  form ;  and  thus  also  is  the  great 
truth  of  creaturehood’s  subsistence  in  God  not  only 
more  fully  manifested,  but  made  a  yet  truer  and 
more  glorious  thing ;  and  through  the  Christ  of  God 
we  find  a  newer  and  more  blessed  reality  in  the  fact 
that  f  in  Him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our 
being.’  There  is  nothing  here  of  the  mystical  dream 
of  ‘  absorption  in  Godhead ;  ’  but  there  is  something 
more  real  as  well  as  more  high  and  blessed.  *  I  in 
them,  and  Thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  per¬ 
fect  in  one,  and  that  the  world  may  know  that  Thou 
hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them,  as  Thou  hast 
loved  me’  (John  xvii.  23). 

Thus,  in  delivering  and  elevating  us  He  reveals 
Himself,  and  brings  forth  all  the  glories  of  His 
character  as  well  as  all  the  resources  of  His  being. 
He  descends  that  we  may  ascend.  In  descending  He 


8 


The  Christ  of  God. 


manifests  Himself,  for  God  cannot  ascend;  and  it 
is  only  in  descending  that  He  can  reveal  all  His 
riches  of  grace  and  power.  It  is  for  man  to  ascend, 
and  in  ascending  receive  a  glory  which  does  not 
belong  to  him.  It  is  for  God  to  descend,  and  in 
descending  to  unveil  the  glory  which,  but  for  this 
descent,  would  have  been  hidden  not  only  from  man, 
but  from  the  universe.  ‘  Glory  to  God  ’  had  been 
sung  before,  when  the  morning  stars  sang  together, 
and  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy;  but  not  till 
now  could  ‘  glory  to  God  in  the  highest  ’  be  sung 
by  either  men  or  angels. 

Thus  the  purpose  of  God  was  to  reveal  Himself 
in  ‘  the  Christ ;  ’  and  in  so  revealing  Himself,  to  lift 
up  fallen  man  into  blessedness  and  glory;  to  bring 
forth  from  the  ruins  of  humanity  a  higher  and 
goodlier  order  of  creaturehood,  which  by  its  con¬ 
nection  with  incarnate  Godhead  might  be  secured 
against  the  possibility  of  fall.  f  Tor  as  we  have 
borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear 
the  image  of  the  heavenly’  (1  Cor.  xv.  49).  And 
these  are  words  of  profound  import  which  declare 
this  process  of  elevation :  f  The  first  Adam  was  made 
a  living  soul;  the  last  Adam  was  made  a  quicken¬ 
ing  spirit.  Howbeit  that  was  not  first  which  is 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


9 


spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural;  and  afterward 
that  which  is  spiritual.  The  first  man  is  of  the 
earth,  earthy;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  As  is  the  earthy,  such  are  they  that  are 
earthy ;  and  as  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also 
that  are  heavenly  ’  (1  Cor.  xv.  45-48). 

Such  are  the  objects  of  the  divine  purpose  as 
taking  visible  shape  in  '  the  Christ  of  God,’ — '  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh.’  All  truth  is  here ;  all 
wisdom  is  here ;  all  perfection  is  here ;  and  in 
connection  with  these,  'the  exceeding  riches  of  the 
grace  of  God.’  This  is  '  the  eternal  purpose  which 
He  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  ’  (Epli.  iii. 
11)  j1  the  purpose  to  which  the  apostle  so  often 
refers, — (1)  in  connection  with  'this  present  evil 
age  ’  (Gal.  i.  4) ;  (2)  in  connection  with  '  the  age  to 
come’  (Heb.  vi.  5);  (3)  in  connection  with  'the 
ages  to  come’  (Eph.  ii.  7).  Here  is  the  fountain¬ 
head  of  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth, — the 
moving,  impelling,  regulating,  controlling  spring  of 
all  that  has  been  witnessed  here  in  ages  past,  or 
that  shall  be  witnessed  hereafter,  when  the  full 

1  Or  more  literally,  ‘  The  purpose  of  the  ages  which  He  made 
or  constituted  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.’  The  expressions,  ‘pur¬ 
pose  of  the  ages,  ’  and  ‘  constituted,  ’  are  very  important  and  full 
of  meaning,  especially  in  connection  with  ‘  the  Christ.  ’ 


10 


The  Christ  of  God. 


spreading  out  of  the  unsearchable  riches  of  the 
Christ  shall  take  place,  in  ways  and  in  regions  to 
us  unknown,  and  by  us  unconceived  and  incon¬ 
ceivable  :  for  the  far -ranging  and  universe -filling 
glory  yet  to  come  forth  from  that  wondrous  centre, 
is  not  only  something  which  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard,  hut  which  hath  not  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man. 

To  bring  a  fair  world  out  of  nothing  was  God’s 
creation-purpose,  and  the  first  chapters  of  Genesis 
reveal  its  accomplishment.  But  to  bring  a  fairer 
and  more  stable  world  out  of  creation’s  ruin,  a 
nobler  and  more  perfect  race. out  of  the  corruption 
of  that  which  had  fallen,  was  God’s  redemption- 
purpose  ;  and  of  the  means  to  the  accomplishment 
of  this,  as  well  as  of  the  accomplishment  itself,  the 
whole  Bible  is  the  record.  The  burden  of  that 
record  is  the  history  of  the  Christ  of  God.  For 
‘Christ  is  all,  and  in  all’  (Col.  iii.  11), — the  all, 
AND  THE  IN  ALL ; — containing  everything,  filling 
everything ;  at  once  the  vessel  of  fulness  and  the 
fulness  of  the  vessel;  as  the  Christ,  distinct  from, 
yet  one  with,  Godhead  ;  distinct  from,  yet  one  with, 
Creaturehood ;  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever,  in 
whom  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


11 


bodily ;  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  yet  also  the  man 
Christ  Jesus,  who  took  upon  Him  not  the  nature  of 
angels,  but  the  seed  of  Abraham ;  becoming  poor 
that  we  might  be  made  rich ;  emptying  Himself 
that  He  might  fill  us ;  and  then  ascending  up  to 
heaven  ‘  that  He  might  fill  all  things for  the 

^  O  O 

fulness  of  the  universe  is  His,  and  the  glory  of  all 
things,  celestial  and  terrestrial,  is  the  outflowing  of 
the  glory  of  the  Christ  of  God. 

Therefore  is  He  called  the  ‘  image  of  the  invisible 
God  5  (Col.  i.  15),  so  that  he  that  hath  seen  Him 
hath  seen  the  Father;  and  yet  *  the  first-born  of 
every  creature  ’  (Col.  i.  1 5) :  ‘  For  by  Him  were 

all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are 
in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be 
thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers  : 
all  things  were  created  by  Him,  and  for  Him ;  and 
He  is  before  all  things,  and  by  Him  all  things  con¬ 
sist  ;  and  He  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  Church : 
the  beginning,  the  first-born  from  the  dead ;  that  in 
all  things  He  might  have  the  pre-eminence.  For  it 
pleased  the  Father  that  in  Him  should  all  fulness 
dwell’  (Col.  i.  16-19). 

Thus  ‘  the  incarnation  ’  is  no  after-thought ;  no 
change  of  mind ;  no  revocation  of  one  purpose  in 


12 


The  Christ  of  God. 


order  to  introduce  another,  because  of  something 
that  had  unexpectedly  given  way  ;  hut  the  carrying 
out  of  the  great  original  purpose,  dating  from 
eternity,  wdiose  fulfilment  or  fulfilments,  with  all 
the  conflicting  events  (contingencies,  as  men  call 
them)  evoking  these  fulfilments,  were  present  to  the 
eternal  mind  from  the  beginning,  in  connection  with 
that  plan,  which  assumed  and  provided  for  what 
man  calls  the  unforeseen  and  fortuitous  ;  nay,  whose 
most  important  unfoldings  are  drawn  out  by  that 
which  seems  to  us  especially  fortuitous  and  in¬ 
capable  of  being  foreseen. 

That  creaturehood  should,  by  reason  of  inherent 
weakness,  he  incapable  of  standing  alone,  does  not 
seem  to  us  at  all  a  likelihood,  far  less  a  certainty  ; 
and  God  has,  by  two  successive  falls  (of  angels  and 
men),  proved  to  us,  as  out  of  the  mouth  of  two 
witnesses,  the  innate  helplessness  of  the  creature 
apart  from  the  Creator.  But  the  divine  plan  did 
not  require  to  wait  the  issue  of  this  double  ‘  experi¬ 
ment,’  nor  to  be  guided  and  moulded  by  the  issue 
of  this  double  demonstration.  It  took  its  shape  not 
from  what  might  or  might  not  become  fact,  accord¬ 
ing  to  human  calculation,  but  from  what  was  known 
from  the  beginning  to  Him  who  seeth  the  end 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


13 


from  the  beginning ;  with  whom  there  is  nothing 
uncertain  or  contingent ;  to  Him  f  of  whom,  and 
through  whom,  and  to  whom  are  all  things,’  whose 
judgments  are  unsearchable,  and  whose  ways  past 
finding  out  (Eom.  xi.  33). 

‘  There  is  none  good  but  one,’  and  there  is  none 
unchangeable  or  infallible  but  one ;  and  the  God 
who  created  all  things  by  J esus  Christ  f  is  the  God 
only  wise.’  This  wisdom,  and  immutability,  and 
goodness  belong  not  to  the  creature,  but  to  the 
Creator.  To  become  partakers  of  these,  the  creature 
must  be  linked  to  the  Creator  by  a  bond  far  beyond 
that  of  creaturehood ;  a  bond  which  could  only  be 
framed  by  means  of  ‘  incarnation,’ — God  coming 
down  to  us  and  taking  our  flesh,  that  we  might  be 
lifted  up  to  Him  and  made  c  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature.’  Thus,  and  thus  only,  is  creaturehood  pre¬ 
served  from  any  third  or  future  fall,  and  established 
for  ever,  in  spite  of  its  inherent  helplessness,  on  a 
secure,  because  a  divine  foundation. 

All  this  is  comprehended  in  that  purpose  whereby 
the  Christ  of  God  is  constituted  alike  the  founda¬ 
tion  and  the  head  of  the  universe — ‘  the  beginning 
and  the  ending,  the  first  and  the  last.’ 

Yet  in  all  this  there  is  no  contradiction  to  the 


14 


The  Christ  of  God. 


divine  declarations  concerning  ‘  the  grace  of  God  ’ 
The  great  purpose  does  not  interfere  with  the  fact 
that  *  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His 
only  -  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  ’ 
(John  iii.  16).  Some  seem  to  think  that  they 
cannot  reconcile  an  eternal  purpose  regarding  f  the 
Christ’  with  a  love  to  man  the  sinner,' — a  love  which 
did  not  come  into  being  till  man  fell,  nay,  the  exist¬ 
ence  of  which  was  contingent  upon  his  sinning.  But 
to  reconcile  such  a  purpose  and  such  a  love  is  no 
more  difficult  than  to  reconcile  the  entrance  of  sin 
with  the  power  of  a  holy  Being  who  was  altogether 
able  to  prevent  that  entrance  had  He  willed  to  do 
so.  And,  indeed,  almost  all  the  theological  or  meta¬ 
physical  questions  and  perplexities  with  which  men 
have  been  engaged  for  ages  run  themselves  up  into 
the  one  question,  Why  did  a  holy  and  almighty 
God  allow  sin  to  enter  the  world  ?  The  true 
answer  to  that  one  question  is  the  answer  to  a 
thousand  others.  The  fact  of  sin’s  existence  is  the 
real  difficulty  and  stumbling-block.  Admit  its  ex¬ 
istence,  and  we  must  admit  that  its  admission  was 
no  accident,  far  less  a  necessity ;  and,  if  neither  an 
accident  nor  a  necessity,  it  must  have  been  the 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


15 


result  of  a  purpose,  founded  upon  a  far  wider  basis 
than  we  can  comprehend,  —  a  basis  which  takes 
in  the  bearing  of  (1)  sin  repressed  or  prevented, 
(2)  sin  admitted,  (3)  sin  overruled,  not  upon  the 
one  sinner  only,  or  upon  the  one  world  where  the 
sin  was  committed,  but  upon  the  universe.  The 
divine  purpose  regarding  the  admission  of  sin  for  a 
season,  and  its  subsequent  removal  by  a  process  of 
mingled  love  and  righteousness,  assumes  that  the 
absolute  repression  or  prevention  of  sin  was  not  the 
best  thing  for  the  universe ,  or  for  the  glory  of  the 
Creator;  but  that  its  entrance  and  ultimate  removal 
were  issues  infinitely  more  beneficial  to  the  universe 
and  glorifying  to  God.  The  number  of  smaller 
but  yet  glorious  ends  comprised  in  and  subserved 
by  this  entrance  and  removal,  is  altogether  beyond 
calculation  and  conception ;  and  the  manifestation 
of  God  thus  accomplished  far  outweighs  the  evils 
arising  from  the  introduction  of  sin.  But  whether 
we  are  prepared  or  not  to  rest  here,  and  be  satisfied 
with  such  a  solution,  we  must  silence  our  question¬ 
ings  by  divine  declarations  such  as  these : — ‘  In 
this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  toward  us, 
because  that  God  sent  His  only-begotten  Son  into 
the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  Him.’ 


16 


The  Christ  of  God . 


‘  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that 
God  loved  us,  and  sent  His  Son  to  he  the  propitia¬ 
tion  for  onr  sins’  (1  John  iv.  7,  10).  ‘God,  who 
is  rich  in  mercy,  for  His  great  love  wherewith  He 
loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ  ’  (Eph.  ii.  4). 
In  so  far  as  man  is  concerned,  that  purpose  reveals 
itself  in  love ;  and  the  proclamation  which  it  has 
made  both  to  earth  and  heaven  is,  ‘  God  is  Love.’ 
Here  let  us  rest  amid  our  manifold  perplexities. 
There  is  no  doubt  now  as  to  this.  The  coming 
of  the  Christ  of  God  has  settled  all  questions  as 
to  this  ;  and  we  may  sit  down  in  peace  beneath 
the  shadow  of  the  cross,  seeing  in  that  cross  the 
great  demonstration  of  the  righteous  love  of  God. 

That  love  is  not  indeed  the  vague  feeling  of 
kindness  or  good-nature,  or  indifference  to  sin, 
which  many  ascribe  to  God.  It  is  something 
more  true,  more  real ;  more  worthy  of  God,  and 
more  suited  to  the  case  of  man.  It  is  love  whose 
very  nature  is  abhorrence  of  sin ;  love  which  can 
only  come  forth  to  the  sinner  in  some  way  con¬ 
sistent  with  that  abhorrence;  nay,  which  carries 
out  its  purpose  of  love  in  order  to  show  this  un¬ 
changeable  hatred. 


j.  Tie  Divine  Purpose.  1 7 

This  hatred  of  sin  is  not  mere  general  dislike 
of  what  is  evil;  but  it  is  that  judicial  opposition  to 
it,  which  can  only  be  met  or  satisfied  by  the  pay¬ 
ment  of  the  penalty  due  by  the  transgressor.  Law 
demands  the  penalty,  but  it  is  satisfied  if  it  is  paid 
by  a  substitute ;  for  thus  all  the  ends  of  holy 
government  are  completely  fulfilled.  The  law  is 
magnified  and  made  honourable ;  yet  the  sinner  is 
delivered,  and  God  can,  without  encroachment  upon 
righteousness,  bestow  His  forgiving  love  upon  those 
who  had  merited  only  displeasure  and  condemnation. 

This  love  of  God  shines  in  the  face  of  One  who  is 
not  simply  Saviour,  but  Substitute;  of  One  who,  by 
His  suffering  the  Just  for  the  unjust,  has  not  merely 
demonstrated  the  reality  of  the  love,  but  made  it 
to  issue  forth,  like  the  pure  river  of  the  water  of 
life,  from  the  throne  of  God,  the  seat  of  judgment 
and  holiness. 

Such  is  the  divine  purpose :  the  purpose  of  the 
God  only  wise ;  yet  also  the  purpose  of  Him  who 
is  the  ‘  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  forgiving 
iniquity,  transgression,  and  sin.’ 

In  this  purpose  we  discover  that  which  is  to  be 

the  foundation-stone,  not  only  for  man  and  man’s 

world,  but  for  the  universe :  for  God,  in  His  scheme 

B 


18 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


for  redeeming  His  Church,1  has  taken  in  the  whole 
range  of  being,  far  and  near,  and  made  provision  for 
all  His  vast  creation ;  so  that  that  which  is  done 


1  It  may  be  well  here  to  advert  to  the  exact  meaning  of  the  word 
church.  It  is  not  the  true  translation  of  the  scriptural  word 
IzK^no-lx,  which  originally  signified  an  assembly  of  the  citizens 
summoned  by  the  crier  (see  Liddell  and  Scott),  and  is  retained  in 
the  French  6glise  and  the  Italian  chiesa.  The  English  word  church 
is  the  same  as  the  German  Kirclie  and  the  Scottish  kirk,  which 
three  words  come  from  the  Greek,  and  signify  ‘  the  Lord’s  house  ’ 
or  building,  as  an  old  Latin  writer  (about  a.d.  840)  tells  us  :  ‘  ab 
ipsis  autem  Grrecis  Kyrch,  a  Kyrios,  et  alia  multa  accepimus  ; 
sicut  domus  Dei,  Basilica,  i.e.  regia  a  Rege,  sic  etiam  Kyrica,  i.e. 
Dominica  a  Domino  nuncupatin'  ’  (see  Trench,  On  t/ie  Study  of 
Words,  p.  68).  Thus  the  word  church  signified  properly  the 
building,  and  not  the  people.  Some  have  objected  to  our  calling 
the  building  by  the  name  church ;  but  this  is  really  the  proper  term, 
and  it  is  our  translators  who  have  erred  in  giving  ‘  church  ’  instead 
of  ‘  assembly  ’  or  ‘  congregation,’  as  the  rendering  of  in  all 

such  passages  as  Eph.  v.  25,  26,  where  Tyndale  and  Cranmer, 
following  the  Greek,  give  us  ‘  Christ  the  head  of  the  congregation ,  ’ 
and  ‘  Christ  loved  the  congregation.  ’  From  these  two  translators 
probably  it  was  that  the  early  Scotch  Reformers  used  congregation 
for  church,  as  in  ‘  the  Band  subscrived  by  the  Lords’  in  1557  :  we 
read,  ‘  the  gospel  of  Christ  and  His  congregation  ;  ’  and  again,  ‘  the 
majesty  of  God  and  His  congregation  and  again,  ‘the  most  blessed 
word  of  God  and  His  congregation ,’ — though  afterwards  they  used 
the  expression  ‘  Cliriste’s  Kirke.’  In  modern  times  the  term 
‘  the  church  ’  has  acquired  a  sort  of  mystical  meaning,  and  many 
use  it  as  the  synonym  for  some  undefined  spiritual  personage  or 
being  ;  whereas  this  word  ‘  church,  ’  to  which  so  many  superstitious 
ideas  (both  Popish  and  Protestant)  have  been  attached,  does  not 
occur  in  Scripture  at  all,  except  as  the  English  representation  of  an 
incorrect  translation  of  the  Greek :  and  were  we  to  return  to  the 
more  exact  rendering  of  ‘assembly,’  or  ‘congregation,’  or  ‘gather¬ 
ing,’  many  false  ideas  would  be  dispelled,  and  some  true  ones 
exchanged  for  them.  Let  us  first  go  to  the  Old  Testament,  and 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


19 


for  man  bears  more  or  less  directly  on  everything 
which  God  has  ‘  created  and  made.’ 

In  what  way  this  is  to  affect  heaven  and  holy 

there  we  shall  find  God’s  people  called  by  the  same  Hebrew,  Greek, 
and  Latin  words  as  have  been  rendered  church  by  our  translators  in 
the  Hew  Testament.  We  can  only  take  a  few  of  these  ;  but  they 
are  specimens  of  a  large  class  : — Hum.  xix,  20,  ‘  That  soul  shall  be 
cut  off  from  among  the  congregation ,’  or  church,  if  we  accept 
the  word  used  by  our  translators  in  the  Hew  Testament.  In  the 
Septuagint  it  is  Ixxktio’fei,  in  the  Vulgate  ecclesia,  in  Junius  and  Tre- 
mellius  congregatio.  Deut.  xviii.  16,  ‘  according  to  all  that  thou 
desirest  of  the  I^ord  thy  God  in  Horeb,  in  the  day  of  the  assembly  ' 
(or  church).  Deut.  xxiii.  1,  ‘  shall  not  enter  into  the  congregation 
of  the  Lord,’  or  ‘into  tjie  church  of  the  Lord  ;’  xxxi.  30,  ‘Moses 
spake  in  the  ears  of  the  congregation  (church)  of  Israel  the  words  of 
this  song.’  Josh.  viii.  35,  ‘  Before  all  the  congregation  (church)  of 
Israel.  ’  Judg.  xx.  2,  ‘  The  chief  of  all  the  people  presented  them?- 
selves  in  the  assembly  (church)  of  the  people  of  God.’  Judg.  xxi. 

5,  ‘  Who  is  there  that  came  not  up  with  the  congregation  (church) 
unto  the  Lord  ?  ’  1  Sam.  xvii.  47,  ‘  All  this  assembly  (church) 

shall  know  that  the  Lord  saveth  not  with  sword  and  spear.’ 

1  Kings  viii.  14,  ‘The  king  blessed  all  the  congregation  (church) 
of  Israel.’  See  also  1  Chron.  xiii.  2,  4,  xxviii.  8,  xxix.  1,  x.  20  ; 

2  Chron.  i.  3,  vi.  3,  xx.  15,  ‘The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  in  the  midst 
of  the  congregation  '  (church),  etc.  etc.  But  see  especially  Ps. 
xxii.  22  (quoted  by  the  apostle  in  Heb.  ii.  12),  ‘In  the  midst  of 
the  congregation  (church)  will  I  praise  Thee;’  and  ver.  25,  ‘My 
praise  shall  be  of  Thee  in  the  great  congregation  ’  (church).  Ps. 
xxvi.  12,  ‘In  the  congregation  (churches)  will  I  bless  the  Lord.’ 
Ps.  xxxy.  18,  ‘I  will  give  Thee  thanks  in  the  great  church .  ’  Ps. 
xl.  9,  ‘I  have  preached  righteousness  in  the  great  church.'  Ps, 
lxviii.  26,  ‘Bless  ye  God  in  the  churches.'  Ps.  lxxxix.  5,  ‘Thy 
faithfulness  in  the  churches  of  the  saints.’  Ps.  cxlix.  1,  ‘Sing 
unto  the  Lord  a  new  song,  and  His  praise  in  the  church  of  His 
saints.  ’  From  tligse  passages  we  see  that  the  word  church  in  its  real 
sense  is  an  Old  Testamept  word,  and  that  the  apostle  took  his  v 
Greek  name  for  it  from  the  Old  Testament :  so  that  that  which  we 


20 


The  Christ  of  God. 


beings  or  regions  beyond  earth,,  we  know  not.  This 
we  know,  that  it  is  written :  f  Having  made  peace 
through  the  blood  of  His  cross,  by  Him  to  reconcile 
ALL  THINGS  UNTO  HlMSELF ;  BY  HlM,  I  SAY,  WHETHER 
THEY  BE  THINGS  IN  EARTH  OR  THINGS  IN  HEAVEN  ’ 


call  ‘the  church,’  but  which  the  Holy  Spirit  calls  the  assembly  or 
congregation,  was  found  among  the  Old  Testament  saints  ;  and  that 
it  was  to  the  £  church,’  or  congregation,  or  ‘  commonwealth  of  Israel  ’ 
(Epli.  ii.  12),  that  the  New  Testament  saints  were  added.  Of  this, 
‘the  church  in  the  wilderness,’  as  Stephen  calls  it  (Acts  vii.  11), 
was  part  :  it  was  to  this  Old  Testament  assembly  that  our  Lord 
referred  when  He  said,  ‘  Tell  it  unto  the  church  ...  if  he  neglect 
to  hear  the  church  ’  (Matt,  xviii.  17);  and  His  allusion  to  the 
‘  heathen  ’  (Gentiles)  and  ‘  publican  ’  shows  that  He  was  referring 
to  the  church  of  Old  Testament  times  :  ‘  tell  it  to  the  congregation  ’ 
is  the  rendering  of  Tyndale  and  Cranmer.  It  may  be  that  ‘  the 
church  of  the  first-born,  ’  or,  as  Tyndale  renders  it,  ‘  the  congregation 
of  the  first-born  sonnes  ’  (Heb.  xii.  23),  refers  to  the  Old  Testa¬ 
ment  saints  to  whom  the  New  Testament  ones  had  come  and  been 
made  ‘  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints  ’  (of  the  Old  Testament)  ; 
nay,  become  ‘of  the  household  of  God’  (Eph.  ii.  19),  or  rather,  as 
the  word  olxzTo;  generally  means  in  the  Septuagint,  ‘relations,’ 
‘  kinsmen  ’  (not  servants)  by  marriage  or  otherwise.  Thus,  what  is 
called  ‘  the  church,  ’  or  the  ‘  assembly,  ’  or  ‘  congregation,  ’  is  com¬ 
posed  of  all  saints  from  the  beginning  ;  the  New  Testament  saints 
being  honoured  to  be  fellow -citizens  with  the  ancient  saints, — 
relations  of  God,  as  Israel  was  ( ‘  Ephraim  is  my  first-born  ’),  and 
sharers  of  the  glory  of  patriarchs  and  prophets  :  all  from  the  begin¬ 
ning  being  included  in  one  purpose  of  election,  washed  in  one 
blood,  clothed  with  one  righteousness,  made  members  of  one  body 
(‘  My  dead  body  shall  they  arise,’  says  Christ,  speaking  by  Isaiah  of 
Old  Testament  saints),  stones  in  one  living  temple,  filled  by  one 
Spirit,  all  eating  the  same  spiritual  meat  and  drinking  the  same 
spiritual  drink,  and  heirs  of  one  common  glory  in  the  kingdom 
and  city  of  the  Lord,  the  New  Jerusalem,  of  which  they  are  made 
‘  fellow-citizens  ’  here. 


The  Divine  Purpose. 


21 


(Col.  i.  20).  Nay,  still  further,  we  know  that  it 
is  written  concerning  this  ‘  mystery  of  His  will :  ’ 
‘  According  to  His  good  pleasure  which  He  hath 
purposed  in  Himself,’ — *  that,  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  fulness  of  times,  He  might  gather  together  in 
ONE  ALL  THINGS  IN  CHRIST,  BOTH  WHICH  ARE  IN 
HEAVEN  AND  WHICH  ARE  ON  EARTH,  EVEN  IN  HlM  ’ 

(Eph.  i.  10). 


22 


The  Christ  of  God. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  FULNESS  OF  THE  CHRIST. 

rjTHERE  are  three  special  names  or  designations 
of  Him  who  in  the  eternal  purpose  is  pre¬ 
sented  to  us  as  the  Christ.  The  first  of  these  is 
the  Wisdom;  and  the  divine  description  of  this  we 
have  in  the  eighth  of  Proverbs.  The  second  is  the 
Word  ;  and  it  is  of  this  that  the  Evangelist  John 
speaks  in  his  first  chapter.  The  third  is  the  Son  ; 
and  of  him  the  Apostle  Paul  writes  in  the  first 
chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 

Each  of  these  three  takes  us  hack  into  the  past 
eternity.  The  Wisdom  is  eternal;  the  Word  is 
eternal ;  the  Son  is  eternal. 

As  the  eternal  Wisdom,  He  possessed  all  that 
we  call  knowledge  or  truth,  in  every  form  and 
every  kind.  In  Him  were  ‘  hid  all  the  treasures 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge’  (Col.  ii.  3).  He  was 
‘  the  Wisdom  of  God ;  ’  and  because  He  was  so, 


The  Fulness  of  the  Christ. 


23 


'He  is  made  unto  us  wisdom’  (1  Cor.  i.  30),  so  that 
we  are  'wise  in  Christ’  (1  Cor.  iv.  10).  As  'the 
Wisdom,’  He  is  '  the  Truth;’  not  simply  the  deposi¬ 
tary  or  dispenser  of  the  truth,  but  Himself  '  the 
Truth ;’  as  He  said,  '  I  am  the  way,  and  the  teuth, 
and  the  life  ’  (John  xiv.  6). 

As  the  eternal  Word ,  He  is  the  revealer  of  the 
mind  of  Godhead ;  for  as  it  is  by  words  that  we 
come  into  contact  with  the  invisible  mind,  and 
know  the  thoughts  and  feelings  within,  so  it  is  by 
Him,  as  the  Word,  that  we  are  made  acquainted  with 
the  mind  of  God.  It  is  through  Him  that  God 
speaks  to  us,  and  it  is  in  Him  that  God  shows  us 
what  He  is.  '  He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the 
Father;’  without  Him,  the  character  of  God  would 
have  been  to  us  a  blank,  or  utter  darkness.  '  In  the 
beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God;  the  same  was  in  the 
beginning  with  God.’  As  the  Wisdom ,  and  the 
Word,  He  is  the  Light  of  the  world  (John  viii. 
12);  'for  in  Him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the 
light  of  men’  (John  i.  4).  As  the  Eevealer  of 
Godhead,  the  utterer  of  the  divine  mind,  He  is 
both  the  light  and  the  life  of  men :  that  life 
and  light  which  speak  to  us  of  the  holy  love 


24  The  Christ  of  God. 

of  God,  and  invite  ns  to  become  partakers  of  that 
love. 

As  the  eternal  Son,  He  is  ‘  the  brightness  of 
Jehovah’s  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  His 
person’  (Heb.  i.  2);  distinct  from  the  Father,  yet 
one  with  the  Father ;  holding  filial  fellowship  with 
the  Father,  and  inviting  ns  to  enter  into  that  same 
fellowship  and  relationship  as  sons ;  as  the  Son, 
giving  to  ns  ‘  the  spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry, 
Abba,  Father’  (Eom.  viii.  15);  and  making  ns  not 
only  children,  bnt  heirs  of  the  inheritance,  ‘  heirs  of 
God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ’  (Eom.  viii.  17). 

The  unfolding  of  the  divine  purpose  was  through 
this  eternal  Wisdom,  this  eternal  Word,  and  this 
eternal  Son.  Thus  hath  ‘  God,  who  commanded 
the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  shined  in  our 
hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ’  (2  Cor.  iv. 
6).  Thus,  too,  the  ‘  mystery  ’  is  unfolded,  into  the 
‘  fellowship  ’  of  which  we  enter  (Epli.  iii.  9),  f  which 
from  the  beginning  was  hid  in  God,  who  created  all 
things  by  Jesus  Christ:  to  the  intent  that  now,  unto 
the  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places, 
might  be  known  by  the  Church  the  manifold  wis¬ 
dom  of  God,  according  to  the  eternal  purpose 


The  Fulness  of  the  Christ.  2  5 

which  He  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  ’ 
(Eph.  iii.  10,  11). 

In  the  above  passages  there  are  two  great  truths 
that  fall  specially  to  he  noticed.  The  first  is  the 
divine  glory  as  seen  in  the  face  of  Christ ;  and  the 
second  is  the  divine  wisdom  in  connection  with  the 
Church.  These  two  are  closely  linked  together. 
They  are  the  counterparts  of  each  other. 

I.  The  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. — 
Everything  connected  with  the  light  and  the  glory 
is  from  above ;  not  of  man,  but  of  God.  For  earth 
has  no  resources  of  its  own  to  fall  back  upon,  in  its 
day  of  darkness  and  evil.  Man  can  create  shadows, 
but  he  can  dispel  none :  he  can  quench  light,  but 
cannot  create  it.  The  creation  of  light  belongs  to 
God  alone. 

And  man  did  quench  the  light,  and  reduce  him¬ 
self  as  well  as  his  world  to  chaos.  As  man’s  earth 
was,  so  was  man  himself,  'without  form,  and  void,  and 
darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep  ’  (Gen.  i.  3). 
He  is  the  wreck  of  a  goodly  and  glorious  world :  for 
God  did  not  create  him  a  child  of  darkness,  but  of 
light ;  the  essence  of  that  light  being  love,  and 
knowledge,  and  holiness.  The  curse  lighted  down 
upon  earth,  swept  across  it,  brooded  over  it,  dwelt 


26 


The  Christ  of  God. 


in  it,  and  still  continues  to  dwell ;  and  in  that  curse 
there  is  confusion,  and  blackness,  and  sorrow.  For 
the  curse  is  no  mere  tempest,  fierce  but  passing.  It 
is  a  spreading  and  deepening  deluge.  Man  has  let 
it  loose  upon  himself;  but  in  vain  he  tries  to  bid  it 
subside,  or  turn  it  into  a  '  pure  river  of  the  water  of 
life,  clear  as  crystal.’ 

Yet  light  exists  somewhere,  and  darkness  surely 
is  not  everlasting.  Heaven  is  not  dark,  though 
earth  is ;  and  angels  are  still  bright,  though  devils 
have  lost  their  purity.  There  is  hope,  because  there 
is  light ; — light  somewhere. 

The  source  is  God  Himself ;  for  '  the  light 
dwelleth  with  Him’  (Dan.  ii.  22).  He  is  light,  as 
truly  as  He  is  love ;  and  '  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at 
all’  (1  John  i.  5).  He  is  clothed  with  light  as  with 
a  garment,  even  though  He  dwelleth,  as  is  said,  '  in 
the  thick  darkness’  (1  Kings  viii.  12).  This  God  is 
the  fountainhead  of  light.  It  was  He  who  com¬ 
manded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  saying, 
'Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light.’  Not  merely 
does  He  shine  into  us,  but  He  shines  in  us,  'in  our 
hearts  ;  ’  He  kindles  a  lamp,  a  sun,  within  us ;  nay, 
He  comes  into  us,  and  is  Himself  the  Sun.  As  His 
gift  for  the  quenching  of  our  thirst  is  not  merely  a 


The  Fulness  of  the  Christ. 


27 


full  supply  of  water  from  without,  but  a  well  of 
water  within,  ‘  springing  up  into  everlasting  life  ’ 
(John  iv.  14),  so  that  ‘  out  of  us  there  flow  rivers  of 
living  water’  (John  vii.  37);  so  His  gift  for  the 
removal  of  our  darkness  is  a  sun  within  us,  filling 
us  with  light,  and  distributing  its  radiance  around, 
making  us  to  become  *  lights  in  the  world.’  He 
lighted  up  the  old  creation ;  He  lights  up  the  new. 
In  enlightening,  He  creates  us  anew;  and  in  creating 
us  anew,  He  enlightens  us.  He  who  lighted  up 
stars  and  suns,  lights  up  souls ;  and  as  He  loveth  to 
do  the  one,  so  no  less  does  He  love  to  do  the  other. 
Thus  every  star  in  the  firmament  preaches  to  us, 
not  merely  ‘  the  being  of  a  God,’  but  His  liberality 
and  love  ;  His  willingness  to  give  us  light;  as  if  He 
said  to  us,  f  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no 
pleasure  that  you  should  remain  in  darkness,  hut 
rather  that  ye  should  become  light  in  the  Lord.’ 
And  as  it  needed  but  a  word  to  light  up  the  universe, 
so  it  needs  but  a  word,  0  man,  to  light  up  your 
whole  being ! 

This  light  has  its  centre  or  source  in  *  the  glory 
of  God.’  The  ‘  glory  ’  is  the  outshining  perfection 
or  splendour  of  Godhead,  spiritual  or  material.  Of 
this  the  Shekinah  which  dwelt  in  the  Holy  of 


28 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Holies  was  an  expression  or  symbol;  and  it  is  this 
glory  of  God  that  is  seen  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 
That  face  is  radiant  with  the  glory ;  and  that  glory 
is  radiant  with  the  love  of  God.  ‘  The  Word  was 
made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  ns ;  and  we  beheld 
His  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only-begotten  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth’  (John  i.  14). 

The  Christ  of  God  is  thus  identified  with  the 
glory.  It  is  the  glory  of  Godhead  :  and  in  it  we 
see  God  coming  down  to  us  in  love ;  bringing  His 
love  to  our  very  side ;  embodying  that  love  in  our 
flesh  ;  pouring  it  into  a  vessel  that  we  can  always 
have  access  to  ; — always  near,  and  always  full.  In 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  thus  radiant  with  the 
divine  glory,  we  learn  the  meaning  of  the  words, 
f  He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father.  Be- 
lievest  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  in  me?’  (John  xiv.  9,  10.)  In  it  we  find 
God  Himself  approaching  us  as  the  God  of  peace, 
and  the  God  of  grace,  reconciling  the  world  to 
Himself,  not  imputing  unto  men  their  trespasses ; 
putting  an  end  to  all  distance,  and  distrust,  and 
variance ;  drawing  us  into  fellowship ;  welcoming 
back  His  prodigals  to  home,  and  heart,  and  table ; 
giving  them  the  best  robe,  and  providing  for  them 


The  Fulness  of  the  Christ 


29 


the  feast  of  fat  tilings;  nay,  bringing  them  into 
peculiar  nearness  through  His  incarnate  Son,  and 
imparting  to  them  a  new,  more  divine,  more  glorious 
light  than  that  which  they  had  lost. 

4  Look  unto  me  ’  is  the  message  !  Look  unto 
me,  and  behold  the  glory; — the  glory  of  love,  the 
glory  of  peace,  the  glory  of  acceptance  in  Him  in 
whom  we  are  complete  !  The  4  God  of  glory  ’  is 
the  4  God  of  peace,’  and  4  the  God  of  all  grace.’ 
The  4  glory  ’  and  the  4  light  ’  are  connected  with 
4  the  Word  made  flesh,’  and  they  are  seen  in  His 

4  face.’  That  face  is  the  face  of  Him  who,  though 

He  was  rich,  for  our  sakes  became  poor,  that  we 
by  His  poverty  might  be  made  rich.  There  is  no 
frown  upon  that  brow.  There  is  no  anger  in  that 
eye.  There  is  no  scorn  upon  that  lip.  There  are 
no  words  of  coldness  or  of  repulsion  proceeding 
from  that  tongue.  The  whole  of  that  face  is 
lighted  up  with  love,  the  perfect  love  which 

casteth  out  fear,  the  love  which  passeth  know¬ 

ledge,  the  love  which  bids  the  sinner  welcome, 
which  invites  the  touch  of  the  sinner’s  hand,  and 
the  trust  of  the  sinner’s  heart ;  for  there  is  no 
fear,  nothing  to  cause  fear,  in  this  love, — nothing 
that  is  not  fitted  to  remove  all  fear,  and  awaken 


30 


The  Christ  of  God. 


all  confidence.  The  brightness  of  His  countenance 
does  not  alarm,  for  all  that  brightness  is  upon  the 
side  of  the  sinner.  It  is  no  scorching  brilliance, 
but  the  placid  dayspring  from  on  high,  the  healing 
light  from  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  of  which  every 
ray  speaks  peace,  and  in  which  there  is  life,  and 
not  death,  to  the  sons  of  men.  The  ‘  King  of 
glory  ’  is  He  who  f  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth 
with  them.’ 

That  which  we  preach  is  f  the  glorious  gospel,’ 
or  rather,  ‘  the  gospel  of  the  glory’  (1  Tim.  i.  11), 
the  glad  tidings  concerning  the  glory  ;  for  all  that 
glory  in  every  part  contains  the  message  of  for¬ 
giveness,  and  the  invitation  to  life  eternal.  To 
gaze  upon  that  glory,  so  full  of  grace  and  truth, 
is  to  receive  into  the  soul  the  sunshine  which 
illuminates  and  warms,  which  comforts  and  heals. 
There  is  no  terror  in  it.  It  does  not  turn  our 
comeliness  into  corruption  (Dan.  x.  8),  nor  make 
us  fall  at  His  feet  as  dead  (Rev.  i.  17),  nor  make 
us  ‘  hide  ourselves  in  the  dust  ’  or  in  the  rocks 
for  '  the  glory  of  His  majesty’  (Isa.  ii.  10);  it  is 
'the  health  of  our  countenance’  (Ps.  xlii.  11),  and 
it  is  the  peace  of  our  souls.  It  was  '  the  God  of 
glory  ’  that  appeared  to  Abraham  when  a  dark 


The  Fulness  of  the  Christ. 


31 


idolater  in  Clialdea  (Acts  vii.  2) ;  and  as  that  GLORY 
was  to  him  the  mighty  attractive,  drawing  him 
out  of  his  idolatry  and  unbelief,  so  is  it  still  the 
gracious  magnet  which  draws  the  sinner  from  his 
sin,  and  wins  his  heart  to  God.  For  though  it  is 
holy,  it  is  irresistibly  attractive,  as  was  the  Son 
of  God  in  the  days  of  His  flesh ;  though  it  is 
righteous,  and  cannot  ally  itself  with  sin,  yet  in  it 
there  is  something  so  suitable  and  so  loving,  that 
every  one  who  truly  sees  it,  sees  in  it  the  enemy  of 
terror  and  doubt.  *  On  earth  peace,  and  goodwill 
toward  men,’  is  the  substance  of  the  revelation  con¬ 
tained  in  it.  '  Help  us,  0  Lord,  for  the  glory  of 
Thy  name  ’  (Ps.  lxxix.  9),  is  the  cry  of  every  one 
who  sees  and  knows  it.  The  glory  of  Jehovah’s 
name  is  the  most  powerful  argument  which  the 
sinner  can  use  in  drawing  near  to  God ;  and  every 
other  argument  is  included  in  it. 

II.  The  divine  wisdom  connected  with  the  Church. 
— The  words  of  the  apostle  are  very  remarkable  con¬ 
cerning  this.  There  was  a  ‘  mystery,’  or  secret  (for 
this  is  the  meaning  of  the  word),  an  eternal  mys¬ 
tery,  ‘  from  the  beginning  hid  in  God,’  not  revealed 
at  first,  when  He  f  created  all  things  by  Jesus 
Christ,’  and  yet  wrapped  up  in  that  creation- 


The  Christ  of  God. 


o  o 

o  A 

purpose  and  creation-act,  as  he  says,  '  hid  in  God, 
who  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ.’  This 
'  mystery  ’  was  not  simply  connected  with  Christ, 
hut  with  the  creation  of  these  heavens  and  earth, 
and  still  more  with  the  Church.  f  The  Church  ’  is 
the  great  embodiment  and  exhibition  of  the  divine 
wisdom.  First  ‘  the  Christ  ’  was  such ;  then,  in 
connection  with  Him,  the  Church.  In  the  person 
of  Christ  was  the  sum  of  all  wisdom ;  and  in  the 
Church,  as  redeemed  by  Him,  is  in  another  form 
the  sum  of  wisdom, — that  wisdom  by  which  angels 
are  to  be  taught,  and  from  which  they  have 
learned,  and  are  yet  to  learn,  more  of  God  than 
they  have  learned  or  can  learn  from  aught  else, 
either  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  It  is  not  ‘  the 
Church’  without  '  the  Christ,’  nor  is  it  'the  Christ’ 
without  ‘  the  Church/  that  is  to  form  the  wondrous 
lesson  for  ‘  principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly 
places,’  but  both  together :  the  Christ  as  the  God- 
man  redeeming  His  Church  ;  the  Church  as  His 
body,  His  bride,  His  chosen  and  loved  from  all 
eternity,  redeemed  by  Him,  and  lifted  up  by  Him 
out  of  the  lowest  condition  of  evil  into  the  highest 
seat  of  heaven,  beside  Himself,  as  the  royal  priest¬ 
hood,  no  being  receiving  from  Him  the  fulness  of 


The  Fulness  of  the  Christ. 


33 


His  love,  but  sharing  with  Him  His  honour  and 
glory,  His  crown  and  throne. 

It  is  the  ‘  manifold  wisdom  of  God  ’  that  is  to 
be  learned  from  the  Church  by  the  principalities 
and  powers  in  heavenly  places  ;  as  if,  apart  from 
the  Church  and  its  history,  the  wisdom  of  God 
could  not  have  been  known  even  by  the  angels. 
Their  own  history  must  have  taught  them  much ; 
for  the  history  of  a  single  creature,  even  for  one 
day,  is  the  revelation  of  divine  wisdom  ;  but  all 
their  own  wondrous  story,  both  in  the  case  of  those 
who  fell  and  those  who  stood,  could  not  teach 
them  what  the  story  of  the  Church  has  already 
taught,  and  shall  continue  to  teach  for  ever. 

It  might  have  been  said  that  they  learn  from 
the  Church  the  love  of  God,  the  jpower  of  God,  the 
truth  of  God,  the  righteousness  of  God,  the  holiness 
of  God ;  and  some  perhaps  ask,  Why  is  it  wisdom 
alone  that  is  said  to  be  learned  in  this  way  and 
from  this  source  ?  Tor  this  clear  reason,  that  all 
these  other  things  are  comprehended  in  this  wis¬ 
dom  ;  and  the  wisdom  is  so  marvellously  and  so 
manifoldly  manifested  in  a  purpose  or  plan,  whose 
vast  object  is  to  reveal  the  whole  of  God  in 

a  way  which  had  not  hitherto  been  done,  and 

c 


34 


The  Christ  of  God. 


wliicli  could  not  have  been  accomplished  save  by 
a  fall  and  a  restoration,  such  as  we  see  in  the 
Church,  and  in  each  individual  member  of  that 
redeemed  company,  for  whom,  as  for  His  bride,  the 
Son  of  God  gave  Himself. 

Angels  (and  we  also)  would  have  known  but  half 
the  love  of  God,  half  the  power  of  God,  half  the 
truth  and  righteousness  and  holiness  of  God,  with¬ 
out  the  Church.  I  speak  of  half,  but  I  might  have 
said,  not  the  half,  but  the  thousandth  part  of  these. 
For  all  these  have  come  out  in  such  new  light  and 
glory,  by  means  of  God’s  dealings  with  the  fallen, 
that  what  was  known  of  them  before  seems  as  nothing 
when  compared  with  what  has  thus  been  revealed. 
The  whole  fulness  of  the  divine  character  could 
not  have  been  unfolded,  except  in  connection  with 
the  redemption  of  the  fallen.  That  He  loves  the 
holy  and  the  lovable  had  always  been  known  to 
angels,  but  that  He  can  love  the  unholy  and  the 
unlovable  could  not  have  been  known  to  them ; 
nay,  from  His  treatment  of  their  lost  fellows,  when 
He  consigned  them  to  chains  irretrievably,  it  must 
have  been  supposed  by  them  that  He  could  not 
love  the  unworthy  or  the  sinful,  and  that  there 
was  no  possibility  of  such  a  thing  as  grace  or 


The  Fulness  of  the  Christ. 


35 


mercy  to  the  lost.  The  divine  character  was  thus 
left  unmanifested,  not  merely  in  so  far  as  love 
was  concerned,  hut  also  in  regard  to  power,  and 
righteousness,  and  holiness.  That  He  could  love  the 
lost  was  unknown ;  that  He  could  love  to  such  an 
extent,  and  with  such  a  love  as  He  has  done,  was 
still  more  unknown  :  and  thus  His  infinitely  loving 
and  lovable  character  was  hidden.  But  the  extent 
of  His  power  and  the  nature  of  His  righteousness 
were  equally  undiscovered.  His  power  in  creation 
was  known,  but  His  omnipotence  in  redemption  was 
only  seen  in  the  Church.  His  righteousness  in 
caring  for  the  righteous  and  condemning  the  trans¬ 
gressor  was  known  ;  but  His  righteousness  in  His 
gracious  dealings  with  the  unrighteous,  and  in 
delivering  the  transgressor  from  his  eternal  doom, 
was  something  which  could  not  have  been  even 
imagined  before.  What  a  veil  was  withdrawn  from 
the  character  of  God  by  the  first  promise  of  grace  ! 
And  what  a  marvellous  illumination  of  that  cha¬ 
racter  was  given  in  the  incarnation  and  crucifixion 
of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God  !  All  was  love, 
peace,  righteousness,  truth,  holiness ;  yet  all  was 
wisdom, — profound  and  unsearchable  wisdom,  wis¬ 
dom  such  as  furnished  angels  with  an  eternal 


36 


The  Christ  of  God. 


lesson  and  an  endless  song ;  wisdom  such  as  shall, 
in  the  full  expanding  of  its  plan,  fill  heaven  and 
earth,  nay,  all  the  universe,  with  new  and  glorious 
light.  ‘  0  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the 
wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God !  how  unsearchable 
are  His  judgments,  and  His  ways  past  finding  out ! 
.  .  .  For  of  Him,  and  through  Him,  and  to  Him,  are 
all  things ;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever.’  Let  the 
Church  say,  Amen  !  Let  angels  say,  Amen  !  Let 
heaven  and  earth  say,  Amen  I  Let  all  the  uni¬ 
verse  say,  Amen ! 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  Nciu  Testament.  3  7 


CHAPTEE  III. 

Israel’s  Messiah  the  christ  of  the  new  testament. 

‘  ' — ^he  *  ^rist/  the  ‘  Anointed  One  ’ 

— was  a  well-known  name  in  Israel.  To 
many  it  was  no  doubt  but  a  sound  or  name,  but  to 
‘  them  that  believed  ’  it  was  precious  ;  embodying  as 
it  did  to  them,  and  to  their  nation,  all  hope  and  joy; 
announcing  to  them  the  love  which  passeth  know¬ 
ledge  ;  and  predicting  a  glory  coming,  such  as  eye 
had  not  seen  nor  ear  heard. 

Messiah  was  Israel’s  hope ;  and  His  coming  was 
the  fulfilment  of  that  hope.  All  that  the  prophets 
foretold  of  good  was  connected  with  Him,  and 
waited  for  His  arrival.  He  was  ‘  the  High  Priest 
of  the  good  things  to  come ;  ’  He  was  known  for 
long  ages  by  the  name  of  the  Coming  One. 

Many  things  forespoken  concerning  Him  seemed 
inconsistent  the  one  with  the  other :  for  He  was  to 
die,  and  yet  be  the  living  one ;  He  was  to  be  sorrow- 


38 


The  Christ  of  God. 


fill,  yet  anointed  with  the  oil  of  gladness ;  He  was 
to  be  without  form  or  comeliness,  yet  also  fairer 
than  the  children  of  men ;  He  was  to  he  laid  as  the 
burnt-offering  on  the  altar,  yet  He  was  to  sit  upon 
a  throne ;  He  was  to  be  poor,  yet  the  riches  of  both 
heaven  and  earth  were  to  be  His ;  He  was  to  be 
rejected  of  men,  yet  He  was  to  be  acknowledged 
as  King  and  Lord ;  He  was  to  be  human,  yet  He 
was  to  be  divine. 

These  apparent  contradictions  were  difficult  of 
reconciliation ;  and  men  oftentimes  wondered  as 
they  compared  what  they  saw  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
with  what  the  prophets  had  spoken  concerning 
the  glory  of  Messiah.  Men  knew  not  how  to 
solve,  by  human  reasoning,  the  difficulties  that 
were  thus  raised,  or  to  answer  to  themselves  the 
question  as  to  the  impossibilities  of  which  His  cha¬ 
racter,  and  person,  and  life  seemed  to  be  made  up. 
The  twice-repeated  ‘  How  can  ’  of  Nicodemus  was 
a  true  index  of  the  state  of  the  Jewish  mind  in 
reference  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Men  looked  at  Him 
but  as  the  son  of  a  carpenter,  and  they  asked  them¬ 
selves,  Can  all  the  great  things  predicted  by  the 
prophets  be  fulfilled  in  him  ?  There  were  features 
of  resemblance,  no  doubt,  but  so  many  of  unlikeness 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  3  9 

that  they  stood  in  doubt ;  not  reassuring  themselves 
with  the  thought  that  all  Messiah’s  glories  could 
not  unfold  at  once,  and  that  what  men  knew  not 
now,  they  should  know  hereafter. 

The  ‘  How  can  ’  of  Mcodemus  has  often  operated 
thus  in  subsequent  ages,  and  destroyed  faith.  Men 
turn  away  from  difficulties,  and  imagine  everything 
to  be  a  contradiction  of  which  they  cannot  discover 
the  reconciliation.  They  take  a  false  view  as  well 
as  a  false  measure  of  difficulties,  and  of  what  they 
call  '  impossibilities/ 

The  miracles  of  Jesus  were  meant  to  meet  the 
*  How  can  ’  of  Nicodemus ;  and  this  was  so  far  well 
expressed,  when  that  half-believing  disciple  said  to 
Him,  ‘  We  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher  come  from 
God,  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that  thou 
doest  except  God  be  with  him.’  These  miracles 
were  so  remarkable,  so  peculiar,  so  numerous,  and  so 
like  what  the  prophets  had  led  Israel  to  expect 
of  Messiah,  that  they  at  once  raised  the  question 
with  some,  May  not  this  be  Messiah  Himself  ? 
There  are  some  things  which  seem  to  say,  It  cannot 
be  He ;  but  there  are  more,  which  distinctly  say,  It 
is  He.  '  Lo,  this  is  our  God ;  we  have  waited  for 
Him,  and  He  will  save  us :  this  is  J ehovah ;  we 


40 


The  Christ  of  Cod . 


have  waited  for  Him,  we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice 
in  His  salvation  ’  (Isa.  xxv.  9). 

The  way  in  which  the  Lord  met  the  unbelief  of 
Hicodemus  is  very  peculiar,  and  asks  our  notice. 
‘  Thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God,’  said  the 
Pharisee.  A  Teacher !  And  is  that  all  ?  A 
teacher  come  from  God !  But  is  that  all  ?  Then 
thou  art  far  from  the  kingdom,  and  canst  not  enter 
it.  He  who  enters  that  kingdom  must  own  my 
true  and  divine  Messiahship.  Hone  can  pass  into 
that  kingdom,  but  they  who  recognise  in  me  the 
Messiah,  the  Christ  of  God.  Thou  must  be  born 
again ;  for  only  f  he  who  believeth  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ  is  born  again.’  To  call  me  teacher 
will  avail  nothing ;  you  must  acknowledge  me  as 
the  Christ.  Only  they  who  do  so  are  sons  and 
heirs ;  and  none  save  the  sons  and  heirs  can  obtain 
the  kingdom.  ‘  As  many  as  received  Him  (as  the 
Christ),  to  them  gave  He  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  His  name ; 
who  were  born  (who  received  their  sonship)  not  of 

blood  (not  by  natural  descent),  nor  of  the  will  of 

/ 

the  flesh  (not  by  any  process  of  human  generation), 
nor  of  the  will  of  man  (not  by  any  human  appoint¬ 
ment  or  choice),  but  of  God’  (John  i.  12,  13):  for 


Israel’s  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  41 

‘that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that 
which  is  horn  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit’  (John  iii.  6). 
Our  reception  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  Messiah  is 
that  which  constitutes  our  sonship,  and  secures 
our  entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Everything  therefore  depends  on  our  having 
right  thoughts  of  Christ.  Many  think  that  faith 
and  unbelief  are  of  no  great  importance,  either  for 
the  better  or  the  worse  to  us ;  and  that  our  views 
of  Messiah  cannot  be  the  turning-point  of  our  ad¬ 
mission  into  or  exclusion  from  the  kingdom.  In 
the  divine  estimate,  a  right  faith, — that  is,  a  '  true 
creed, — is  beyond  all  price,  both  as  to  its  present 
effects  in  securing  the  divine  favour  now,  and  as  to 
its  final  results  in  providing  for  us  a  right  to  the  in¬ 
heritance  hereafter.  It  is  no  vain  thing  to  believe 
aright,  whatever  men  may  say.  The  value  which 
God  sets  upon  our  recognition  of  His  Christ,  in  the 
fulness  of  that  glory  which  belongs  to  Him,  is  to  be 
measured  by  the  infiniteness  of  the  blessing  attach¬ 
ing  to  all  those  who  believe  that  ‘  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God.’  The  completeness  of 
our  creed  concerning  Him  and  His  work,  as  the 
Sent  of  God,  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father,  is  a 
thing  of  no  minor  importance.  To  add  to  or  take 


42 


The  Christ  of  God. 


from  the  words  written  in  the  Scriptures  regarding 
Messiah,  is  to  forfeit  our  portion  in  the  kingdom, 
and  our  place  in  the  Lamb’s  book  of  life. 

The  age  professes  to  be  going  in  quest  of  faith. 

‘  What  are  we  to  believe  ?  ’  is  the  question  that  is 
universally  put.  Yet,  with  all  this,  men  attach  no 
value  to  a  right  faith,  nor  will  admit  that  God 
cares  more  for  the  man  that  believes  one  thing  than 
for  him  who  believes  another.  Sentimental  ear¬ 
nestness,  whether  philosophical  or  religious,  is  the 
modern  substitute  for  a  right  creed  ;  and  men  are 
allowed  to  play  fast  and  loose  with  truth,  without 
being  supposed  to  incur  any  risk  for  eternity,  any 
injury  to  their  present  spiritual  condition,  or  any 
displeasure  from  God  Himself. 

How  this  is  precisely  the  state  in  which  we  should 
expect  to  find  matters  had  there  been  no  revelation, 
and  had  God  left  man  to  grope  his  way  darkly  to  truth 
without  any  help,  either  external  or  internal,  from 
above.  Without  a  Bible,  men  would  be  tossed  hither 
and  thither  in  their  opinions  ;  and  would  naturally  be 
unwilling  to  be  trammelled  by  a  creed ;  for  any  such 
creed  would  be  but  the  creed  of  a  man.  Beligious  truth 
could  not  exist,  though  religious  speculation  might 
be  rife.  There  could  be  no  responsibility  attaching 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  43 

to  belief,  no  sin  in  unbelief,  and  no  clanger  in  error ; 
for  these  three  things  must  arise  out  of  an  authorita¬ 
tive  revelation  from  Him  who  alone  can  proclaim 
truth  as  a  certainty,  and  error  as  a  malignant  evil. 

The  poetry,  the  philosophy,  the  science  of  modern 
times,  seem  all  to  have  deliberately  gone  back  to 
some  pre-revelation  era,  and  to  have  taken  their 
stand  upon  simple  paganism,  in  so  far  as  religious 
truth  is  concerned.  f  An  infant  crying  for  the 
light  ’  is  the  accurate  symbol  of  such  teachers,  fur¬ 
nished  by  themselves,  and  indicating  that  the  true 
light  had  never  come  ;  and  that  for  six  thousand 
years  God  had  cruelly  kept  His  creatures  in  the  dark 
in  all  things  most  worth  the  knowing, — that  is,  the 
things  pertaining  to  Himself.  ‘  The  Christ  that  is 
to  be  ’  is  the  modern  watchword  of  expectation,  and 
the  hope  given  out  by  these  men  of  mind,  who,  be¬ 
lieving  that  the  Christ  of  past  ages  has  proved  a 
failure,  have  become  expectants  of  another  Messiah, 
who  will  embody  in  himself  all  philosophy,  and 
poetry,  and  science ;  just  as  the  still  hoped-for 
Messiah  of  Israel  is  to  embody  all  the  ambitious 
dreams  of  carnal  and  unbelieving  Judaism.  Whether 
this  coming  Christ  of  philosophy  will  reveal  Him 
who  is  said  to  be  the  ‘  unknown  and  unknowable/ 


44 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


they  do  not  tell  ns  ;  for  what  they  seem  to  desire 
is  not  a  revelation  of  Godhead,  hut  a  revelation  of 
humanity,  and  an  incarnation  of  the  intellect :  so 
that,  if  there  still  remains  in  the  human  spirit  any 
longing  after  Him  in  whom  we  live,  and  move,  and 
have  our  being,  that  longing  must  remain  unre¬ 
sponded  to,  and  must  content  itself  with  re-erecting 
the  old  Athenian  altar  ‘  to  the  unknown  God.’ 
That  which  modern  intellect  hopes  and  sighs  for 
is  not  a  Christ  in  whom  God  becometh  man,  but 
a  Christ  in  whom  man  becometh  God. 

The  coming  Christ  of  philosophy  will  simply 
impersonate  man’s  ideal  of  the  good  and  true :  for 
no  water  can  rise  higher  than  its  source.  He  will 
put  an  end  to  the  supernatural  and  miraculous,  for 
which  the  Christ  of  Bethlehem  was  so  especially 
the  witness.  He  will  be  the  exhibition  of  natural 
goodness,  natural  knowledge,  natural  benevolence, 
natural  liberty,  natural  morality,  in  opposition  to 
all  that  is  superhuman  and  divine.  He  will  be 
broad  enough,  and  wide  enough,  and  liberal  enough 
to  embrace  all  religions  except  one ; — the  religion  of 
the  sin-bearing  cross  ;  and,  following  in  the  steps  of 
Boman  paganism  (whose  Pantheon  opened  its  gates 
to  every  god  but  to  Jehovah  and  His  incarnate  Son), 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  45 

> 

will  supremely  tolerate  every  religion  of  earth,  save 
that  of  Him  whom  we  are  still  allowed  to  own  and 
worship  as  our  God  and  Lord,  Jesus  the  Christ,  who 
died  and  rose  again.  Hay,  and  he  will  go  back  to 
the  double  lure  by  which  man  was  first  led  into 
apostasy,  and  pledge  himself  to  fulfil  to  man  the 
promise  which  has  hitherto  so  signally  failed,  ‘  Ye 
shall  he  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil ;  ’  and,  ‘  Ye 
shall  not  surely  die.’  The  deification  of  man,  and 
his  consequent  security  against  all  evil  from  without 
or  from  above,  and  specially  against  all  penalty  for 
self-will  and  disobedience,  will  form  the  sum  of  the 
‘  great  swelling  words  ’  with  which  he  whom  philo¬ 
sophers  call  the  *  Christ  that  is  to  he,’  but  whom 
Scripture  calls  ‘  the  Antichrist,’  will  persuade  men 
to  how  down  before  him,  and  own  him  as  prophet, 
priest,  and  king. 

The  truth  which  God  has  embodied  in  f  the  Christ  ’ 
is  not  only  different  in  kind  from  that  which  is 
wrapt  up  in  the  physical  creation,  but  it  differs  in 
the  consequences  of  our  receiving  or  rejecting  it.  Its 
lofty  nature  makes  it  differ;  its  supreme  importance 
makes  it  differ ;  its  more  direct  bearing  on  the  cha¬ 
racter  and  worship  of  God  makes  it  differ;  its  effects 
upon  our  present  spiritual  wellbeing  make  it  differ. 


46 


The  Christ  of  God. 


All  these  necessarily  imply  a  certain  amount  of 
responsibility  in  dealing  with  this  higher  truth,  and 
a  certain  amount  of  danger  in  defacing,  or  disparag¬ 
ing,  or  rejecting  it.  But  there  is  one  special  point 
of  difference  which  is  worthy  of  gravest  notice. 
The  rejection  of  physical  truth  does  not  carry  with 
it  positive  penalty  or  direct  retribution ;  the  rejec¬ 
tion  of  spiritual  truth  does.  This,  no  doubt,  is 
denied  by  many,  and  the  two  kinds  of  truth  are 
affirmed  to  be  precisely  on  the  same  footing  as  to 
penalty ;  though  by  some  it  may  be  admitted  that 
there  is  greater  loss  or  injury  in  refusing  the 
spiritual  than  in  refusing  the  physical. 

Now  we  admit  that  this  loss  or  injury  arising 
from  ignorance  or  disbelief  of  spiritual  truth  is  a 
real  and  permanent  evil  in  itself ;  for  to  be  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  true  God  (whether  from 
ignorance  or  rejection)  is  to  be  without  that  which 
fills  the  soul,  and  imparts  gladness,  and  sustains 
or  comforts  in  weariness  and  sorrow.  Scripture 
everywhere  attests  this ;  and  to  become  ‘  acquainted 
with  God  ’  is  to  become  possessed  of  f  good to 
‘  delight  ourselves  in  God  ’  is  to  get  the  desires  of 
our  heart.  The  true  knowledge  of  the  true  God 
is  like  sunshine  to  the  soul. 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  4  7 

But  then  this  is  not  all,  and  it  is  at  this  point 
that  one  of  the  great  controversies  of  the  present 
day  arises.  Does  the  wilful  exclusion  of  this 
knowledge  carry  with  it  positive  and  divine  penal¬ 
ties  ?  Is  it  to  be  visited  hereafter  with  the  dis¬ 
pleasure  of  God  as  guilt ,  which  the  righteous  Judge 
must  deal  with  at  a  judgment-seat,  and  to  which 
He  must  apportion  a  retribution  according  to  the 
greatness  of  its  enormity  ? 

If  we  are  to  accept  even  the  conclusions  of 
reason,  we  must  say  that,  seeing  there  is  such  a 
great  difference  between  the  two  kinds  of  truth, 
there  must  be  a  greater  responsibility  connected 
with  the  treatment  of  the  one  than  of  the  other; 
that  there  is  the  likelihood  of  our  being  far  more 
seriously  injured  by  our  rejection  of  the  one  than 
of  the  other ;  and  that  the  fact  of  there  being  no 
positive  or  statutory  penalty  annexed  to  the  disbe¬ 
lief  of  the  physical,  does  by  no  means  lead  to  the 
conclusion  that  there  can  be  no  such  punishment 
connected  with  the  disbelief  of  the  spiritual.  The 
far  loftier  character  of  the  spiritual  truth,  its  far 
higher  importance,  its  bearing  upon  the  character 
and  honour  of  God  as  well  as  upon  the  government 
of  the  whole  universe,  its  influence  for  good  or  ill 


48 


The  Christ  of  Gocl. 

\ 

to  millions  of  God’s  creatures, — these  considerations 
would  rather  incline  us  to  believe  (apart  from  reve¬ 
lation)  that  some  special  notice  must  he  taken  of 
such  a  rejection,  in  the  shape  of  judicial  condemna¬ 
tion,  and  the  infliction  of  a  penalty  corresponding 
to  the  evil  done  and  the  crime  committed. 

Yet  such  a  conclusion  would  not  have  been 
demonstration.  It  opens  the  way  for  this,  by 
showing  its  likelihood  and  its  propriety.  But  it 
is  to  the  Scriptures  themselves  that  we  must  go  to 
learn  what  God  thinks  of  the  evil  of  impugning  any 
part  of  that  truth  which  He  has  embodied  in  the 
Christ,  and  revealed  for  our  acceptance.  These 
teach  us  in  all  their  parts  what  value  God  attaches 
to  His  truth, — to  the  whole  of  His  truth, — and  what 
stress  He  lays  upon  our  reception  of  it  as  the  means 
of  blessing  to  ourselves  and  of  honour  to  Him  as 
the  God  of  truth ;  and  what  displeasure  lies  on  all 
who  turn  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  or  who  refuse 
to  recognise  it  as  divine.  ‘  He  that  believeth  on 
Him  is  not  condemned ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not  believed 
in  the  name  of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God  ’ 
(John  iii.  18). 

Here,  then,  is  the  turning-point,  and  here  is  the 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  49 

verdict  of  tlie  Judge.  Here  is  the  line  which 
separates  faith  from  unbelief,  on  the  one  side  of 
which  there  is  life,  and  on  the  other  death.  ‘  He 
that  believeth  hath  life  ;  and  he  that  believeth 
not  shall  not  see  life’  (John  iii.  36).  To  get 
quit  of  the  condemnation  by  denying  the  Book  in 
which  it  is  written,  as  some  are  trying  to  do,  is 
only  to  add  guilt  to  guilt, — the  guilt  of  reject¬ 
ing  the  whole  to  the  guilt  of  rejecting  each  part 
separately ;  the  crime  of  flinging  away  the  casket 
to  the  crime  of  trampling  on  the  gem. 

Into  the  question  of  what  the  Book  reveals  con¬ 
cerning  future  punishment  for  the  rejection  of  the 
Christ,  we  do  not  here  enter.  Scripture  has  spoken 
plainly,  and  reveals  to  us  the  infliction  on  the  un¬ 
believer  of  that  which  it  calls  ‘  the  wrath  of  God ;  ’ 
the  bearing  of  which  by  the  sinner  calls  forth  ‘  the 
weeping  and  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth,’  in 
opposition  to  the  f  songs  and  everlasting  joy  ’  of  him 
who  has  accepted  the  divine  testimony  to  the  Christ 
of  God.  Lazarus  in  Abraham’s  bosom,  and  the  rich 
man  in  the  place  of  woe  (Luke  xvi.  22,  23),  may 
be  thought  to  be  but  figures  in  a  parable ;  yet  they 
are  figures  which  express  but  too  plainly  and  too 

awfully  the  coming  consolation  and  the  coming 

D 


50 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


sorrow.  *  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  he  unjust  still; 
and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  he  filthy  still ;  and  he 
that  is  righteous,  let  him  he  righteous  still ;  and  he 
that  is  holy,  let  him  he  holy  still’  (Rev.  xxii.  11). 

That  which  is  to  fall  upon  the  sinner  must  be 
something  like  that  which  fell  on  the  Substitute, 
and  from  which  the  Substitute  came  to  deliver  us,  by 
hearing  it  for  us ;  that  something  which  made  His 
soul  exceeding  sorrowful,  and  caused  Him  to  cry  out, 

t 

‘  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me  ?  ’ 
That  something  was  the  wrath  of  Cod.  What  that 
wrath  is,  eternity  will  reveal.  It  is  something  real, 
like  what  Christ  endured ;  not  a  mere  negation  ;  not 
showing  itself  in  placing  its  objects  beyond  the 
possibility  of  sensation,  as  must  be  the  case  if  the 
theory  of  annihilation  be  true.  That  the  Son  of 
God  should  be  incarnate  and  should  suffer  anguish 
to  prevent  us  from  being  annihilated,  seems  very 
unlikely,  to  say  the  least  of  it ;  and  that  this  should 
be  all  the  curse  from  which  He  came  to  redeem  us 
(Gal.  iii.  13)  by  His  cross,  seems  to  be  trifling  with 
penalty  and  righteousness.  Assuredly  punishment 
has  no  such  negative  meaning  among  men ;  and  the 
inflictions  of  law  are  a  mockery,  if  they  mean 
merely  rendering  the  guilty  victims  insensible  to 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  5 1 

either  pain  or  pleasure.  Sorrow  cannot  be  the 
wages  of  sin,  if  the  sentence  of  the  Judge  upon  the 
sinner  be,  ‘  Thou  shalt  sorrow  no  more ;  ’  and  if 
the  recompense  of  the  wicked  is  to  be  expressed  in 
the  same  words  as  the  reward  of  the  righteous,  ‘  The 
days  of  thy  mourning  shall  be  ended.’  To  say  to 
the  sinner,  Thou  shalt  rejoice  no  more,  may  look  like 
penalty,  as  being  the  deprivation  of  the  possibility 
of  happiness ;  but  then  that  sentence  that  cuts  off 
all  joy  cuts  off  all  sorrow  too  ;  so  that  to  all  alike 
the  words  will  equally  apply,  *  Thou  shalt  weep  no 
more  !  ’ 

All  that  is  implied  in  condemnation  for  a  rejected 
Christ,  I  do  not  undertake  to  discuss ;  but  it  must 
mean  more  than  wiping  away  all  tears  from  the 
unbeliever’s  eyes. 

That  God  should  lay  such  a  burden  (the  burden 
of  our  guilt)  upon  His  Son,  implied  that  there  was 
something  very  awful  in  store  for  sinners.  If  that 
something  was  the  mere  extinction  of  being,  it  is 
difficult  to  see  what  the  Son  of  God  really  bore,  or 
for  what  He  made  atonement.  Did  God’s  displea¬ 
sure  against  the  sinning  object  exhaust  itself  in 
depriving  him  of  existence,  —  in  reducing  him  to 
nothing  ?  If  this  is  all  that  is  symbolized  in  the 


52 


The  Christ  of  God. 


fire  of  the  altar,  or  implied  in  that  which  Scripture 
calls  ‘  wrath  ’  and  ‘  the  curse,’  the  whole  institution 
of  sacrifice  is  unmeaning,  and  the  cross  a  mockery, 
— nay,  a  useless  piece  of  cruelty  to  One  whose  inno¬ 
cence  deserved  far  other  treatment.  Nay,  the  cross 
is  not  only  ‘  made  of  none  effect,’  but  is  really  the 
greatest  injustice  that  was  ever  perpetrated  on  earth ; 
an  injustice  enough  in  itself  to  dissolve  all  law,  to 
make  void  all  equity  and  fairness,  to  subvert  every 
idea  of  divine  goodness  and  love,  to  efface  all  dis¬ 
tinctions  between  right  and  wrong,  between  the 
innocent  and  the  guilty.  That  God  should  not 
spare  His  Son,  and  yet  spare  all  His  rejectors  and 
all  impenitents  from  all  the  pain  flowing  from  their 
misdeeds,  by  extinguishing  them  for  ever,  seems  an 
unrighteousness  amounting  to  an  impossibility. 

If  it  is  thought  that  all  offenders  should  go  free, 
and  that  the  highest  kind  of  criminals  (despisers  of 
God  and  His  law)  do  not  deserve  punishment  at 
all,  let  it  be  said  so,  and  we  shall  know  how  to 
meet  the  statement ;  but  that  men  should  admit 
punishment  to  be  a  right  thing,  without  which  the 
world  would  go  to  wreck,  and  good  be  confounded 
with  evil,  and  yet  that  the  Judge’s  sentence  against 
the  very  worst  will  only  be, ‘  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into 


Israel's  Messiah  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  5  3 

everlasting  non-suffering ’  would  be  setting  up  a 
throne  of  iniquity  such  as  no  earthly  government 
could  tolerate. 

If  the  Christ  of  God  be  truly  God’s  beloved  Son, 
worthy  of  honour  and  love  from  all  creaturehood,  are 
those  who  refuse  Him  this  love  and  honour  to  incur 
no  guilt,  and  to  suffer  no  penalty  ?  Is  the  highest 
crime  in  the  universe, — treason  against  the  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords, — to  be  passed  by,  or  rather 
rewarded,  by  consigning  the  traitor  to  such  a  state 
of  eternal  unconsciousness  that  no  punishment  can 
be  possible;  that  his  earthly  miseries  shall  be  ended; 
and  that  his  own  conscience  shall  never  be  able  to 
upbraid  him  for  the  lifelong  crime  which  he  per¬ 
sisted  in  committing,  but  which  he  can  afford  to 
laugh  at,  inasmuch  as  it  merely  involved  his  losing 
an  existence  which  had  become  not  worth  the  keep¬ 
ing,  and  of  which,  in  mercy,  the  Judge,  as  a  reward 
for  his  wickedness,  is  to  deprive  him  for  ever ! 

All  this  may  be  benevolence,  or  good-nature,  or 
dislike  of  inflicting  pain,  or  indifference  to  evil ; 
but  it  is  not  law ,  it  is  not  righteousness ;  and  the 
carrying  out  of  it  will  turn  not  this  world  merely, 
but  the  universe,  upside  down, — making  the  order 
and  happiness  of  creation  an  everlasting  impossi- 


54 


The  Christ  of  God. 


bility ;  destroying  all  sense  of  security  to  the 
saved,  because  proceeding  on  no  principle  of  recti¬ 
tude  toward  the  lost. 

Besides,  it  would  be  a  poor  exhibition  even  of 
philanthropy ;  for  it  might  justly  be  said,  If  divine 
benevolence  can  go  so  far,  why  can  it  not  go  a 
little  further  ?  If  it  can  set  aside  the  infliction  of 
punishment,  why  should  it  not  abolish  or  prevent 
all  present  suffering  as  well  as  all  future ;  nay,  why 
should  it  not  confer  happiness  ?  If  it  finds  no  law 
against  the  former,  can  it  find  any  law  against  the 
latter  ?  Partial  philanthropy  like  this  is  both  weak 
and  unjust.  It  makes  void  both  law  and  love.  It 
is  unfair  alike  to  the  lost  and  the  saved. 

This  playing  fast  and  loose  with  law  and  penalty, 
with  evil  and  good,  with  sorrow  and  joy,  is  evi¬ 
dently  the  invention  of  men,  who,  fearing  the  con¬ 
sequences  of  their  own  misdeeds,  try  to  persuade 
themselves  that,  if  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst, 
and  they  are  condemned  at  last,  God  will  extin¬ 
guish  their  existence  rather  than  see  them  suffer. 
This  weak  and  vacillating  philanthropy  receives 
no  countenance  from  the  long  stern  ages  of  human 
suffering ;  and  of  it  there  is  certainly  no  indication 
in  the  cross  of  Christ. 


Peters  Confession  of  the  Christ. 


55 


CHAPTER  IV.. 

peter’s  confession  of  the  christ. 

JT  will  be  well  to  turn  to  some  of  the  many 
declarations  or  confessions  made  in  tbe  New 
Testament  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  the 
Christ  of  God.  They  embody  the  faith  of  the 
disciples ;  they  proclaim  Israel’s  faith ;  they  ex¬ 
hibit  to  us  the  faith  on  which  the  Church  is  built, 
and  on  which  she  has  rested,  is  resting  still,  and 
will  continue  to  rest  till  He  comes  again. 

For  the  creed  of  the  Church  is  one;  and  though 
man  has  tried  to  tear  it  in  pieces,  or  supplant  it 
with  beliefs  of  his  own,  it  remains  to  the  end, — 
one  and  the  same :  like  Him  who  is  its  sum  and 
burden,  Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day, 
and  for  ever.  It  is  a  veritable  creed ;  uttered  by 
an  apostle,  and  sanctioned  by  the  Master  Himself. 

Thus,  then,  in  few  words,  we  read  the  Church’s 
early  creed,  given  sometimes  by  one  and  sometimes 
by  another. 


56 


The  Christ  of  God. 


(1.)  The  angel  at  Bethlehem  is  the  first  to  give 
ns  the  ‘  symbol’  (Luke  ii.  11)  :  ‘  Unto  you  is  born 
this  clay,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is 
Christ  the  Lord.’  The  Saviour,  the  Christ,  the 
Lord,  are  the  three  great  words  in  which  it  is 
summed  up ;  each  of  these  containing  ‘  the  good 
tidings  of  great  joy.’ 

(2.)  The  angel,  before  His  birth,  had  said,  ‘  Thou 
shalt  call  His  name  Jesus’  (Matt.  i.  21);  Joseph 
at  His  hirtli  ‘called  His  name  Jesus’  (Matt.  i.  25); 
at  His  circumcision  ‘  His  name  was  called  Jesus  ’ 
(Luke  ii.  21).  Here  we  have  the  briefest  form  of 
the  creed,  and  yet  in  this  the  great  essence  is  re¬ 
tained;  for  Jesus,  that  is,  ‘Jehovah  the  Saviour,’ 
is  really  the  creed. 

(3.)  The  next  is  John  the  Baptist,  who,  in  the 
well-known  words,  ‘  Behold  the  Lamb  of  Cod,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world’  (John  i.  29), 
sums  up  the  whole  book  of  Leviticus,  and  gives  us 
the  essence  and  meaning  of  all  sacrifice  from  the 
beginning. 

(4.)  The  fourth  is  that  of  Andrew,  ‘  Simon  Peter’s 
brother,’  and  runs  in  these  words :  ‘We  have  found 
the  Messias  ;  which  is,  being  interpreted,  the 
Christ’  (John  i.  41).  Messias!  That  word  wTas 


Peter’s  Confession  of  the  Christ.  5  7 

the  summing  up  of  Israel’s  creed,  and  also  of 
ours. 

(5.)  The  fifth  is  Nathanaels :  ‘  Rabbi,  Thou  art 
the  Son  of  God,  Thou  art  the  King  of  Israel  ’ 
(John  i.  49).  Here  is  another  article  in  the  old 
belief ;  and  yet  not  another,  for  it  was  wrapt  up  in 
the  preceding.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  Son  of 
God,  and  Israel’s  King  !  The  knowledge  of  this  is 
life  eternal,  for  in  it  is  embodied  the  fulness  of  the 
grace  of  God. 

(6.)  The  next  is  Peter’s  (Matt.  xvi.  16;  Mark 
viii.  29  ;  Luke  ix.  20).  Putting  together  the  words 
as  given  by  all  the  evangelists,  the  confession  runs 
thus :  ‘  Thou  art  the  Christ  .  .  .  the  Christ  of  God.’ 
‘  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God.’ 
Thus  we  get  piece  after  piece  of  the  wondrous 
creed,  and  each  succeeding  fragment  or  article 
brings  out  more  fully  ‘  the  love  of  God  which  is 
in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.’ 

(7.)  The  next  is  Martha’s  :  *  I  believe  that  Thou 
art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  which  should  come 
into  the  world’1  (John  xi.  27).  This  was  the 

1  The  words  literally  run  thus,  ‘  The  Coming  One  into  the  world;’ 
for  Messiah  was  known  to  Israel  by  this  name,  ‘  the  Coming  One  ’ — 
o  lp%of*ivo;.  Afterwards  He  is  named  ‘  the  Come  One  ’ — o  \\0av — 
i\*ku0ora,  (1  John  iv.  3,  v.  6).  Thus,  ‘  He  is  come  ’  contained  the 


58 


The  Christ  of  God. 


summing  up  of  her  creed  ;  it  was  the  beginning 
and  end  both  of  her  faith  and  hope.  To  know 
Jesus  as  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  was  to  have 
everlasting  life,  and  to  he  an  heir  of  the  kingdom. 
In  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  she  had  the  whole 
revelation  of  God  as  to  Messiah  and  Messiah’s 
work,  and  all  this  she  now  connected  with  Him 
whom  she  knew  by  the  name  of  Jesus ;  and  in  Him 
she  saw  the  embodiment  of  all  that  the  fathers  had 
been  looking  for. 

(8.)  The  next  is  that  of  Thomas  ;  ‘  My  Lord  and 
my  God’  (John  xx.  28), — carrying  us  hack  to  Isa. 
xxv.  9  :  ‘  Lo,  this  is  our  God ;  we  have  waited  for 
Him :  this  is  the  Lord  (Jehovah) ;  we  have  waited 
for  Him.’  For  it  was  a  divine  Messiah  that  Israel 
had  been  looking  for;  and  it  is  such  that  Thomas 
now  sees,  and  hears,  and  touches. 

All  these  confessions  are  thus  summed  up  by  the 


gospel,  or  good  news,  which  an  Israelite  would  well  understand  ; 
and  as  Messiah  was  the  o  &p%ofavos,  so  His  age  or  kingdom  was 
o  ulav  ipKopivos,  or  [aiWwv  (Luke  xviii.  30  ;  Heb.  vi.  5).  The  ‘good 
things  ’  connected  with  Him  as  ‘  the  Christ  ’  and  as  ‘  the  High 
Priest  ’  are  similarly  referred  to :  for  He  is  said  to  be  up%npiv$  ru>v 
[AiXX'ovruv  a.ya.6ouv,  ‘  the  High  Priest  of  the  good  things  to  come  ’ 
(Heb.  ix.  11);  which  good  things  are  not  exhausted  by  His  first 
coming,  but  are  yet  to  be  poured  out  more  abundantly  at  His 
second.  This  is  ‘  the  grace  that  is  to  be  brought  unto  us  at  the 
revelation  of  Jesus  Christ’  (1  Pet.  i.  13). 


Peter's  Confession  of  the  Christ.  5  9 

Evangelist  John,  towards  the  close  of  his  Gospel, 
and  connected  with  the  life  which  Messiah  came 
to  bring.  ‘Many  other  signs  truly  did  Jesus  in  the 
presence  of  His  disciples,  which  are  not  written 
in  this  book  :  but  these  are  written,  that  ye  might 
believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  ; 
and  that  believing  ye  might  have  life  through  His 
name’  (John  xx.  30). 

We  find  this  form  of  words  more  than  once  made 
use  of  by  the  Apostle  John  :  ‘  Whosoever  believeth 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God’  (1  John  v. 
1) ;  connecting  belief  in  Jesus  as  the  Christ  with 
sonship,  and  taking  us  back  to  John  i.  12  and 
iii.  1-8.  Thus  life,  and  sonship,  and  heirship,  as 
well  as  pardon  and  deliverance,  are  connected  with 
believing  in  Jesus  as  the  Christ.  For  these  words 
are  divine  and  living,  conveying  to  him  who  re¬ 
ceives  them  the  blessing  which  they  contain.  ‘  The 
words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit,  and 
they  are  life  ’  (John  vi.  63).  The  abiding  of 
Christ’s  words  in  us  is  always  associated  with  the 
abiding  of  life ,  with  the  presence  of  Him  of  whom 
they  speak,  and  with  overcoming  the  world1  (1 

1  I  find  that  by  some  a  mystical  meaning  is  attached  to  the  word 
‘  abiding,  ’  whereas  it  simply  means  ‘  remaining,  ’  and  ought  always 


60 


The  Christ  of  God. 


John  y.  4)  :  ‘  Whosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he 
in  God’  (1  John  iv.  15).  Nay  more,  they  are 
associated  with  the  indwelling  of  that  love  which 
they  reveal :  ‘  We  have  known  and  believed  the 
love  that  God  hath  to  us.  God  is  love  ;  and  he 
that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God 
in  him.’ 

It  will  be  well,  however,  to  select  one  of  these 
confessions ;  not  indeed  omitting  the  others,  but 
noticing  specially  some  of  the  circumstances  in 
which  it  was  uttered.  Let  us  take  up  that  of  Peter, 
as  given  by  three  of  the  evangelists,  with  slight 
variations, — variations  which  help  to  bring  out  in 
divers  aspects  the  whole  truth.  For  all  such  dif¬ 
ferences  are  accredited  by  the  Spirit,  or  rather,  they 
are  expressly  framed  by  the  Spirit,  in  order  to  bring 
out  all  sides  of  the  great  confession  on  which  rests 
the  Church  of  God,  and  out  of  which  spring  the 

to  have  been  translated  by  one  word,  either  abiding  or  remaining. 
Others,  I  find,  affirm  that  such  expressions  as  Christ  being  in  us,  or 
the  Spirit  being  in  us,  are  peculiar  to  the  New  Testament,  whereas 
they  are  quite  common  in  the  Old  ;  and  the  Old  Testament  word 
‘  among  you  ’  is  that  which  is  rendered  *  in  you  ’  in  the  New 
Testament.  The  Old  Testament  saints  had  ‘  the  indwelling  Spirit  ’ 
as  truly  as  the  New.  Indeed,  all  the  New  Testament  expressions 
regarding  the  Spirit  are  taken  from  the  Old.  Ex.  xxix.  45  ;  Judg. 
xiv.  6  ;  Isa.  lxiii.  11  ;  Ezek.  ii.  2. 


Peters  Confession  of  the  Christ.  6 1 

various  doctrines  which  have  made  up  her  one 
creed ;  her  creed  concerning  the  true  God  and  His 
Son  Jesus  Christ.  The  first  promise  regarding  the 
woman’s  seed  was  very  brief ;  yet  it  contained  the 
sum  of  divine  truth  on  which  the  patriarchs  lived 
and  died.  It  afterwards  expanded  very  widely,  and 
the  Old  Testament  is  the  expansion  of  that  pro¬ 
mise.  How  again,  at  the  commencement  of  a  new 
era,  the  creed  contracts  itself  to  a  single  article, 
substantially  the  same  as  that  out  of  which  all  pre¬ 
vious  expansions  had  come  ;  and  Messiah  Himself 
gives  sanction  to  this  brief  confession,  as  containing 
the  sum  of  saving  knowledge  :  f  Thou  art  the 
Christ’  (Mark  viii.  29). 

It  will  be  interesting  to  notice  in  detail  the 
circumstances  connected  with  this  confession  of 
Peter.  We  shall  find  how  completely  everything 
in  the  scene  is  linked  with  Him  who  is  the  subject 
of  the  confession.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  Christ  is 
*  all,  and  in  all.’  Of  the  group  He  is  the  centre  ; 
of  the  speakers  He  is  the  chief.  Our  eyes  do  not 
fasten  themselves  on  the  disciple  who  makes  the 
confession,  but  on  the  Master  who  drew  it  forth. 
His  attractions  eclipse  all  others ;  and  here,  as 
on  the  Transfiguration  Mount,  we  behold  no  one 


62  The  Christ  of  God. 

save  'Jesus  only;’  we  hear  no  one  save  'Jesus 
only.’ 

It  is  a  wayside  conversation  that  the  evangelists 
record  between  the  Lord  and  His  disciples.  Yet 
were  not  these  disciples  '  wayside  hearers  ’  in  the 
sense  of  the  parable.  It  was  on  good  ground  that 
the  seed  was  sown.  They  were  going  northward, 
from  Bethsaida  to  Cesarea  Philippi,  along  the  mar¬ 
gin  of  the  waters  of  Merom,  the  most  sequestered, 
and  amongst  the  most  beautiful,  of  the  many  fair 
scenes  of  Palestine.  By  the  way,  He  spoke  to 
them,  and  they  to  Him.  The  theme  was  Himself, 
and  He  was  at  once  the  Teacher  and  the  lesson. 

It  was  on  the  extreme  north  of  Palestine  that 
the  conversation  took  place,  in  the  locality  out  of 
which  sprang  the  well-known  description  of  the 
land,  '  from  Dan  to  Beersheba.’  Par  from  Jeru¬ 
salem  and  its  temple,  far  from  the  distinguished 
cities  either  of  the  Old  Testament  or  of  the  Hew, 
was  this  wondrous  confession  spoken.  Hot  to  a 
crowd,  not  in  the  midst  of  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
or  of  publicans  and  sinners,  but  simply  to  the 
twelve,  was  it  given.  The  great  seed  was  to  be  de¬ 
posited  first  in  their  hearts,  as  they  walked  quietly 
along  the  lake-side,  with  mountains  on  either  side, 


Peter  s  Confession  of  the  Christ.  6  3 

Lebanon  full  in  view,  and  Hermon  in  front,  with 
its  sparkling  snows. 

It  was  just  before  the  transfiguration,  as  if  He 
would  prepare  them  for  that  scene,  and  draw  out 
of  them  their  thoughts  concerning  Him,  before 
showing  Himself  to  them  in  His  glory.  Ere  He 
leads  them  up  the  mountain.  He  wished  them  to 
realize  who  He  really  was,  that  they  might  recog¬ 
nise  in  the  transfiguration-glory  the  glory  of  the 
Christ,  of  Israel’s  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God. 

It  was  Peter  who  made  the  confession,  but  he 
made  it  in  the  name  of  the  whole  disciples.  He 
speaks,  and  they  add  their  Amen  to  what  is  spoken. 
They  might  not  fully  understand  all  that  the  name 
implied,  ‘  the  Christ ;  ’  but  they  knew  what  the 
prophets  from  the  beginning  had  spoken,  and  they 
knew  what  the  nation  believed  concerning  Messiah, 
and  their  confession  was  not  made  in  ignorance  and 
blindness.  Yet  scarcely  had  this  confession  been 
made,  than  ‘  Peter  took  Him  ’  (laid  hold  of  Him), 
‘and  began  to  rebuke  Him  ’  (Mark  viii.  32).  What ! 
rebuke  Him  whom  he  had  acknowledged  to  be 
‘  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  ’  ?  We  know  not  in 
what  language  to  describe  or  to  condemn  such  con¬ 
duct.  Yet,  strange,  notwithstanding  this,  the  Lord 


64  Tlu  Christ  of  God. 

selects  Peter  as  one  of  the  favoured  three  who  were 
to  stand  on  the  '  holy  mount  ’  along  with  Moses 
and  Elias.  Surely  here,  as  elsewhere,  ‘  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  was  exceeding  abundant’  (1  Tim.  i.  14); 
and  surely  here  Jesus  Christ  ‘  shows  forth  all  long- 
suffering,  for  a  pattern  to  them  who  should  hereafter 
believe  on  Him  to  life  everlasting’  (1  Tim.  i.  16). 

It  was  of  ‘  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ’  that  the  confes¬ 
sion  was  made ;  of  Him  who  had  grown  up  among 
them  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry 
ground.  They  knew  Him  as  the  son  of  the  car¬ 
penter,  the  brother  of  some  Galilean  fishermen,  the 
native  of  a  city  whose  name  was  a  byword ;  yet 
they  own  Him  as  the  Christ.  They  had  hitherto 
acknowledged  Him  as  the  son  of  Mary,  of  the  seed 
of  Abraham,  of  the  family  of  David ;  now  they 
avow  their  belief  in  Him  as  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God. 

It  was  to  Himself  that  the  confession  was  made. 
They  avow  their  faith  in  His  Messiahship  to  Him¬ 
self,  that  He  may  hear  it  and  sanction  it  as  a  true 
belief,  no  cunningly  devised  fable,  nor  dream  of 
their  own  enthusiasm.  It  is  as  if,  before  proclaim¬ 
ing  it  to  the  world,  they  fell  down  before  Him  and 
owned  His  Christhood.  They  do  not  merely  whisper 


Peter  s  Confession  of  the  Christ.  6  5 

to  one  another,  or  say  to  themselves  in  secret. 
Surely  our  Master  is  the  Christ.  They  kneel  before 
Him  in  reverence,  and  say,  face  to  face,  as  if  asking 
His  approval,  f  Thou  art  the  Christ ;  ’  thus  making 
the  declaration  doubly  sure ; — His  own  as  well  as 
theirs.  They  say,  '  Thou  art  the  Christ;’.  He  an¬ 
swers,  ‘  I  am.’  •  They  confess  Him  to  Himself  before 
they  are  allowed  to  confess  Him  before  men. 

It  was  in  reply  to  two  questions  of  His  own 
that  this  avowal  of  faith  was  made.  The  first  was, 
‘  Whom  do  men  say  that  I  am  ?  ’  and  the  second, 
‘  Whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  ’  He  first  inquires  into 
the  world’s  faith,  that  He  may  bring  out  the  prevail¬ 
ing  ignorance  and  error ;  and  then  He  probes  and 
tests  the  disciples,  in  order  to  draw  out  the  difference 
between  them  and  the  men  around.  Thus  He  draws 
out  the  faith  of  His  own  that  He  may  stamp  it  writh 
His  own  mark ;  just  as,  on  another  occasion,  He 
put  the  question  to  the  Jews,  e  What  think  ye  of 
Christ  ?  ’  (or,  ‘  What  is  your  judgment  concerning 
the  Christ  ?  ’)  in  order  to  bring  forth  their  views, 
whether  of  faith  or  unbelief;  and  still  He  asks  the 
same  questions  of  us,  ‘  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  ’ 
and, ‘  Whom  say  ye  that  I  am  V  Tor  He  knows  how 

much  depends  on  the  right  answer  to  such  ques- 

E 


66 


The  Christ  of  God. 


tions.  It  is  no  idle  nor  random  inquiry  that  He 
makes,  but  momentous  beyond  measure,  as  involv¬ 
ing,  in  the  answer  to  it,  eternal  consequences ;  nay, 
as  involving  in  its  right  solution  the  whole  matter 
of  our  relationship  to  God.  For  if  he  that  be- 
lievetli  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God, 
and  hath  everlasting  life,  then  he  who  does  not 
believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  not  born  of  God, 
and  hath  no  life  eternal. 

The  name  of  Christ ,  or  Messiah ,  had  a  special 
meaning  to  a  Jew.  It  went  back  over  the  whole 
history  of  the  land,  the  nation,  the  race.  It 
embodied  all  his  hopes.  It  gathered  up  into  itself 
all  the  promises,  and  prophecies,  and  types,  and 
symbols.  It  carried  him  back  to  David,  to  Moses, 
to  Abraham,  to  Adam.  It  called  up  not  only 
Jerusalem  and  Bethlehem,  but  Paradise ;  for  it  was 
linked  inseparably  with  the  first  promise,  as  well  as 
with  the  first  altar  and  the  first  sacrifice.  For  we 
cannot  separate  the  promise  from  the  sacrifice,  nor 
the  sacrifice  from  the  promise.  Each  without  the 
other  is  dark.  The  promise  alone  is  a  riddle  with¬ 
out  a  key  to  it ;  and  the  sacrifice  alone  is  a  key 
without  a  riddle. 

Ho  doubt  Israel’s  blindness  was  great ;  and  even 


Peter  s  Confession  of  the  Christ. 


67 


the  disciples  were  slow  of  heart  to  believe  all  that 
the  prophets  had  spoken  (Luke  xxiv.  25).1  But  still 
they  knew  enough  of  the  prophets  to  understand 
much  of  what  and  who  the  Christ  was  to  be ;  and  in 
speaking  of  Him,  they  spoke  of  One  in  whom  they 
saw  not  only  the  superhuman,  but  the  divine, — a 
divine  Deliverer  and  King, — one  who  was  coming 
as  the  messenger  of  love,  not  to  Israel  only,  but  to 
man,  and  to  man’s  earth.  They  could  notf  at  this 
time  comprehend  such  words  as,  ‘  Ye  know  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  though  He  was 
rich,  for  your  sakes  He  became  poor,  that  ye  by 
His  poverty  might  be  rich  ’  (2  Cor.  viii.  9)  ;  but 
they  gathered  this  at  least  concerning  Messiah  from 
the  promise  and  the  sacrifice,  that  He  was  God 
Himself,  coming  to  sinners  on  an  errand  of  grace, 
and  that  in  that  grace  law  was  to  be  honoured,  and 
righteousness  to  be  exalted :  for  the  name  of 
Messiah  had  all  along  been  associated  as  distinctly 
with  righteousness  as  with  love. 

1  The  Greek  rather  gives  a  slightly  different  thought  in  connec¬ 
tion  with  the  above  passage,  and  we  might  render  the  words  thus  : 

‘  0  fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe,  after  all  that  the  prophets 
have  spoken  ’  (ivi  vra<nv).  To  believe  what  ?  The  resurrection,  to 
which  they  had  just  referred.  The  Lord  reproached  them  with  their 
slow  belief  of  the  resurrection ,  notwithstanding  all  that  the  prophets 
had  spoken. 


68 


The  Christ  of  God . 


CHAP  TEE  Y. 

THOU  ART  THE  CHRIST.  WHAT  THEN? 

T~  ET  us  suppose  the  Master’s  question  put  to 
us  in  these  days  by  the  Master  Himself, 
as  of  old. 

What  would  be  our  answer  ?  What  should  we 
say  to  Him,  or  to  ourselves,  or  to  the  Church,  or  to 
the  world  ? 

We  might  say,  ‘  Thou  art  the  Christ;’  but  how 
much  would  that  express  ? 

With  many  it  would  express  much  less  than 
Peter  meant :  for  Peter,  as  one  versed  in  the  old 
revelation,  knew  much  that  many,  calling  them¬ 
selves  Christians,  are  ignorant  of.  With  many,  how¬ 
ever,  it  would  express  more  than  Peter  could  have 
implied ;  for  ‘  the  darkness  is  past,  and  the  true 
light  now  shineth.’  They  have  seen  what  Peter  had 
not  then  seen ;  the  cross,  the  grave,  and  the  resur¬ 
rection.  The  light  from  the  cross  has  wonderfully 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


69 


illuminated  that  name,  the  Christ.  It  was  hut 
dim  to  Peter;  it  is  bright  to  us. 

‘  Thou  art  the  Christ/  we  say.  If  so,  what  do 
we  mean,  and  what  follows  from  that  meaning  ? 

What  do  we  mean  ?  We  know  what  a  true 
Israelite  would  mean ;  and  our  meaning,  though 
much  fuller,  must  he  substantially  the  same.  If 
Thou  art  the  Christ,  then, 

1.  Thou  art  the  Seed  of  the  Woman. 

Thou  art  He  in  whom  God’s  first  great  promise 
to  man  finds  its  fulfilment ;  true  seed  of  the 
ivoman.  Thou  art  the  Life,  because  of  whom 
she  was  called  Eve,  the  life ; — true  Son  of  Adam, 
very  man,  Thyself  f  the  last  Adam  ’  (1  Cor.  xv. 
45),  *  the  second  man,  the  Lord  from  heaven  ’  (1 
Cor.  xv.  47).  Thou  art  He  to  whom  the  eyes  of 
our  first  parents  were  turned,  and  in  whom  they 
rested,  though  to  them  Thou  wert  only  the  pro¬ 
mised  seed,  the  Coming  One.  For  it  was  through 
man  that  God  was  to  save  man  ;  and  as  by  one 
mans  disobedience  many  had  been  made  sinners, 
so  by  one  man's  obedience  many  were  to  be  made 
righteous.  Through  her  who  had  been  ‘  beguiled  ’ 


70 


The  Christ  of  God. 


(2  Cor.  xi.  3),  through  her  who  *  was  deceived  ’ 
and  "was  in  the  transgression’  (1  Tim.  ii.  13,  14), 
was  the  great  Deliverer  to  come :  very  man, — made 
of  a  woman,  hone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our 
flesh :  more  truly  man  than  the  fallen  sons  of 
Adam,  for  sin  did  not  belong  to  humanity  at  first, 
and  He  was  without  sin ;  the  holy  seed,  the  holy 
child. 

Thus  we  have  in  this  Christ  a  child  of  time,  yet 
a  child  of  eternity.  He  was  born  of  a  woman,  yet 
He  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  God.  The 
first  thing  we  read  of  Him  as  a  son  of  Eve,  is  in 
these  words  regarding  His  mother,  ‘  She  was  found 
with  child  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ’  (Matt.  i.  18);  and 
again,  ‘  That  which  is  conceived  in  her  is  of  the 
Holy  Ghost’  (Matt.  i.  20).  Ages  before,  this  song 
had  been  sung : 

Behold ! 

The  virgin  shall  conceive, 

And  bear  a  son  ; 

And  shall  call  His  name  Immanuel  (Isa.  vii.  14). 

And  another  song  had  been  sung,  very  like  the 
former,  yet  fuller  and  more  exultant : 

Unto  us  the  child  is  born, 

Unto  us  the  son  is  given  ; 

And  the  government  shall  be  upon  His  shoulders, 

And  His  name  shall  be  called 


Thou  art  the  Christ .  What  then  ? 


11 


Wonderful, 

Counsellor, 

The  Mighty  God, 

The  Everlasting  Father, 

The  Prince  of  Peace  (Isa.  ix.  6). 

And  then,  just  before  the  birth  of  this  seed  of 
the  woman,  the  angel  Gabriel  comes  to  His  mother 
with  these  words  : 

Fear  not,  Mary, 

For  thou  hast  found  favour  with  God. 

Behold  !  thou  shalt  conceive  in  thy  womb, 

And  bring  forth  a  son, 

And  thou  shalt  call  His  name  Jesus.1 


Tlie  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee, 

And  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee  : 
Therefore  also  that  holy  thing, 

Which  shall  be  born  of  thee, 

Shall  be  called 

The  Son  of  God  (Luke  i.  30,  35). 

Then  we  come  to  the  actual  birth  of  the  pre¬ 
dicted  seed :  ‘  She  brought  forth  her  first-born  son, 
and  wrapped  Him  in  swaddling-clothes,  and  laid 
Him  in  a  manger  ’  (Luke  ii.  7).  On  this  we  hear 
the  glorious  message  from  above : 


Fear  not ! 

Behold ! 

I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy, 


1  In  the  preceding  prediction  from  Isaiah,  we  may  notice  the 
same  expression  as  to  the  naming  of  the  child.  In  the  former  it  is, 
‘  she  shall  call  His  name  Immanuel ;  ’  in  the  latter  it  is,  ‘  tlcou 
shalt  call  His  name  Jesus.’ 


72 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Which  shall  be  to  all  people. 

For  unto  you  is  born  this  day, 

In  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour, 

Who  is  Christ  the  Lord  (Luke  ii.  11). 

Tlius  we  are  brought  first  to  Jerusalem,  for  there 
Isaiah’s  prediction  was  uttered  ;  then  to  Nazareth, 
for  there  the  annunciation  was  given  ;  and  lastly 
to  Bethlehem,  where  the  child  was  born.  In  the 
manger-cradle  of  that  child  what  a  history  is  con¬ 
tained,  and  what  a  revelation  of  the  invisible  God ! 
0  child  of  Bethlehem,  what  a  story  has  been  Thine, 
and  what  a  story  is  yet  to  be  Thine  !  for  the  history 
of  the  universe,  past,  present,  and  to  come,  revolves 

round  Thee.  0  seed  of  the  woman,  what  a  mani- 

✓ 

festation  of  Godhead  is  given  to  us  in  Thee  !  On 
Thy  stony  cradle  is  written,  God  is  love.  On  the 
gate  of  the  city  where  Thou  wast  born,  is  inscribed, 
God  is  love.  On  Thy  tomb  in  after  years  was 
graven,  God  is  love.  And  on  that  throne  where 
now  Thou  art  seated  is  engraved,  God  is  love. 

Yes ;  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  the 
Saviour  of  the  world;  Thy  name  is  Jesus,  and  it  is 
also  Immanuel.  We  look  to  Thee,  and  live.  We 
look  into  Thy  cradle,  and  are  comforted.  Thou  art 
bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh  ;  ‘  Christ 
is  all,  and  in  all.’  Though  rich,  for  our  sakes  Thou 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ?  73 

v 

becamest  poor,  that  we  by  Thy  poverty  might  be 
rich.  We  have  nothing  to  give  Thee,  but  Thou 
hast  everything  to  give  us ;  and  we  are  content  to 
be  simple  receivers  of  Thy  liberality  and  fulness. 

2.  Thou  art  the  Son  of  the  living  God. 

Thou  art  the  eternal  Son,  who  couldest  say, 
'I  and  my  Father  are  one’  (John  x.  30).  Thou 
art  very  man,  yet  also  very  God ;  all  Godhead  and 
all  manhood  in  Thy  person  ;  the  everlasting  link 
between  heaven  and  earth,  between  Creator  and 
creature  ;  God  manifest  in  flesh  ;  heir  of  all  things  ; 
God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever;  Thy  name  Jehovah, 
and  Thy  glory  divine.  Now  then  we  know  that  all 
that  man  can  do  for  us,  and  all  that  God  can  do  for 
us,  are  here.  All  heaven  is  here,  all  earth  is  here. 
God  Himself  has  taken  the  side  of  man ;  yea,  has 
become  man,  that  He  may  accomplish  man’s  deliver¬ 
ance.  The  incarnation  is  certainly  not  the  whole  of 
the  mighty  undertaking.  It  is  but  the  beginning. 
Yet  it  is  a  wondrous  pledge  of  love.  He  who  came, 
on  man’s  account,  from  the  throne  of  God  to  the 
manger  of  Bethlehem,  must  love  man  with  no 
common  love.  He  cannot  have  ceased  to  care 


74 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


for  earth ;  He  cannot  have  had  His  love  quenched 
by  rebellion,  nor  turned  into  coldness  by  the  un¬ 
worthiness  and  unlovableness  of  its  objects. 

Here,  then,  we  learn  at  Bethlehem  that  Cod  is 
love :  for  it  is  God  whom  we  see  in  the  manger. 
We  hear  that  a  child  has  been  born.  We  come  to 
its  cradle ;  and  we  find  that  God  is  there.  It  is 
‘the  Word  made  flesh’  that  lies  there.  The  bright¬ 
ness  of  Jehovah’s  glory  and  the  express  image  of  His 
person  is  there.  That  cradle  gives  us  God’s  thoughts 
of  God, — what  God  wishes  us  to  know  and  think 
about  Himself.  It  shows  us  how  accessible  God  is, 
and  how  He  wishes  to  be  approached  by  us.  It 
shows  us  how  near  He  has  come  to  us,  how  low 
He  has  stooped,  how  truly  one  with  us  He  has  be¬ 
come.  It  is  God, — the  Son  of  the  living  God, — 
very  God,  who  lies  there.  We  see  but  helpless 
infancy ;  yet  the  mighty  power  of  God  is  there. 
We  see  but  clouds  and  shadows  resting  over  us ; 
yet  on  His  forehead  is  written,  ‘  God  is  light,  and  in 
Him  is  no  darkness  at  all.’  The  more  that  we  can 
realize  of  God  in  connection  with  that  babe  and 
that  cradle,  the  more  we  shall  know  of  Him  who 
said,  ‘My  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts.’  Here 
God  speaks  to  us,  and  we  to  Him.  These  little 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


75 


fingers  are  those  of  Him  who  was  ere  long  to  touch 
the  sick,  and  to  heal  them  with  His  power.  These 
hands  are  the  hands  which  are  soon  to  he  pierced 
with  nails.  That  head  is  soon  to  be  crowned  with 
thorns.  These  feet  are  to  be  fastened  to  the  cross. 
These  eyes  are  to  weep  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus  and 
over  Jerusalem.  That  body  which  now  lies  in  a 
stony  cradle,  is  sobn  to  lie  in  a  stony  tomb.  And 
yet  all  these  things  link  themselves  with  His  God¬ 
head.  The  Son  of  the  living  God  is  here ;  and 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  He, — the  very  Christ  of  God. 

3.  Thou  art  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant. 

Thy  name  is  ‘  the  Angel  of  the  Lord,’  or  the 
f  Angel  Jehovah’  (Gen.  xvi.  7,  13,  xviii.  1,  2,  17, 
xlviii.  16;  Judg.  vi.  11-24),  or  the  Angel  of  the 
Covenant  (Mai  iii.  7).  Thou  art  He  to  whom  the 
name  Jehovah  appertains;  Jehovah,  and  Jehovah’s 
Messenger;  the  Sent  of  the  Father  (John  vi.  44), 
His  true  Siloam  (John  ix.  7),  His  covenant  Angel, 
to  do  His  redeeming  work  on  earth  among  the  sons 
of  men. 

All  Israel’s  history  is  full  of  this  Angel  and  His 
doings;  every  Jew  knew  His  name  in  connection 


76 


The  Christ  of  God. 


with  God’s  interpositions  of  grace  and  power ; 
every  Jew  connected  that  mysterious  messenger  with 
Messiah.  Angel  He  was ;  yet  more  than  angel  in 
the  excellency  of  His  power  and  in  the  greatness  of 
His  love.  *  The  Angel  of  His  presence  saved  them  ’ 
(Isa.  lxiii.  9),  is  the  story  of  many  a  chapter  in 
Israel’s  annals.  Oftentimes,  when  things  were  at 
their  worst,  out  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  this 
Angel  came,  and  wrought  salvation  by  His  mighty 
power.  c  The  arm  of  the  Lord  awoke,  and  put  on 
strength ;  ’  and  Israel  recognised  in  this  the  inter¬ 
position  of  their  own  Messiah,  of  Him  who  was 
afflicted  in  all  their  affliction,  who  had  again  and 
again  said,  How  shall  I  give  thee  up,  0  Israel  ? 
how  shall  I  deliver  thee  up,  0  Ephraim  ? — of  Him 
who,  looking  hack  upon  His  own  gracious  dealings 
with  the  ever-murmuring,  ever-rebelling  nation  in 
ages  past,  uttered  these  words  of  love,  perhaps 
the  warmest,  truest,  tenderest  words  of  love  ever 
breathed  from  human  lips  :  f  0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem, 
how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  as  a 
hen  doth  gather  her  chickens  under  her  wings ;  and 
ye  would  not !  ’  Yes ;  and  while  uttering  these 
words  of  love,  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant  wept, — 
wept  because  they  would  not  be  saved,  because  they 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


77 


would  not  be  blest !  "Not  willing  that  any  should 

perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance/  had 

been  Messiah’s  feeling  towards  them  in  all  their 

apostasies ;  and  in  that  coming  day,  when  we  shall 

get  behind  the  outward  into  the  inward,  and  see  the 

true  interior  of  Christ’s  dealings  with  men,  and  the 

% 

unseen  beatings  of  His  gracious  heart  toward  the  chief 
of  sinners,  who  are  repelling  all  His  advances,  we 
shall  know  how  sincere  His  long-suffering  has  been, 
how  profound  His  pity,  how  earnest  His  proposals  of 
reconciliation,  how  tender  His  yearnings,  how  honest 
His  tears  over  the  rejectors  of  His  love. 

God’s  eternal  purpose  shall  stand ;  His  election, 
according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  His  will,  shall  be 
carried  out ;  but  not  the  less  shall  it  be  found 
true,  that  the  wings  extended  by  Messiah  over 
Jerusalem,  under  which  He  would,  fain  have  gathered 
her  children,  were  the  wings  of  truest  tenderness  as 
well  as  of  almighty  power.  The  day  for  the  recon¬ 
ciliation  of  all  these  apparent  difficulties  will  come, 
and  we  shall  know  the  harmony  between  the  pur¬ 
pose  and  the  love. 


78 


The  Christ  of  God. 


4.  Thou  art  the  great  Sacrifice. 

In  Thee  all  sacrifice  centres ;  from  Tliee  the  four 
great  offerings  spring,  and  into  Thee  they  return. 
Thou  art  the  burnt-offering,  the  peace-offering,  the 
trespass-offering,  the  sin-offering,  all  in  one.  Thou 
art  also  the  meat-offering  and  the  drink-offering. 
In  Thee  we  see  the  double  offering  of  the  day 
of  atonement,  and  the  paschal  lamb  with  its  un¬ 
leavened  bread.  In  each  of  these  we  discern  some 
special  feature  of  Thy  work  for  sinners,  and  some 
peculiar  characteristic  of  Thy  person  as  the  sin- 
bearer.  Yes ;  if  Jesus  of  Nazareth  be  the  Christ 
of  God,  then  is  He  the  propitiation  for  our  sins, — 
the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketli  away  the  sin  of 
the  world.  Of  Him  the  book  of  Leviticus  is  full. 

Of  Him  the  whole  tabernacle  speaks, — specially 
the  altar,  and  the  laver,  and  the  mercy-seat.  There 
Christ  is  all,  and  in  all ;  and  every  vessel  there 
points  to  His  sin-bearing  work.  It  is  the  tabernacle 
of  the  Substitute ;  for,  take  away  the  idea  of  substi¬ 
tution,  and  the  tabernacle,  with  its  varied  furniture 
and  sacrifices,  is  an  unmeaning  fabric,  —  a  mere 
national  tent,  round  which  the  people  gather,  and 
where  the  tribes  celebrate  some  unmeaning  rites,  as 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


79 


useless  as  those  of  the  heathen  around.  The  com¬ 
plete  hearing  of  sin  by  another  ;  one  life  for  another  ; 
the  just  for  the  unjust :  this  is  the  great  truth 
embodied  in  the  tabernacle.  Substitution,  ransom, 
sacrifice,  propitiation,  atonement,  suretyship  :  these 
are  words  whose  meaning  comes  fully  out  in  con¬ 
nection  with  the  tabernacle  and  its  services.  They 
are  inscribed  on  every  vessel  and  every  curtain ; 
they  speak  out  in  every  ceremony,  and  in  every 
victim,  in  every  priest  and  Levite.  The  fire,  the 
smoke,  the  incense,  the  blood,  declare  the  truth  con¬ 
tained  in  these  words  beyond  mistake  or  doubt. 

The  Psalms,  too, — at  least  such  as  the  twenty- 
second,  the  fortieth,  the  sixty-ninth,  and  eighty- 
eighth, — unfold  the  sufferings  of  the  Substitute 
when  bearing  our  sins  ;  as  when  He  says,  ‘  My 
God,  my  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me?’  (Ps. 
xxii.  1)  ;  and,  ‘  Thy  wrath  lieth  hard  upon  me, 
Thou  hast  afflicted  me  with  all  Thy  waves.  ...  I 
am  afflicted,  and  ready  to  die  from  my  youth  up  ’ 
(Ps.  lxxxviii.  7,  15).  And  then  the  fifty-third  of 
Isaiah  gives  the  key  both  to  the  book  of  Leviticus 
and  Psalms :  ‘  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men ; 
a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief.  .  .  . 
Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our 


80  The  Christ  of  God. 

sorrows.  .  .  .  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgres¬ 
sions,  He  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities.’ 

In  connection  with  all  these,  we  hear  the  cry 
on  the  cross,  *  It  is  finished  !’  We  see  the  veil  rent 
in  twain,  and  we  learn  that  ‘  this  man,  after  He  had 
offered  one  sacrifice  for  sins  for  ever,  sat  down  on 
the  right  hand  of  God’  (Heb.  x.  12).  How,  then, 
there  remaineth  no  more  conscience  of  sins  (Heb. 
x.  1)  to  them  that  receive  the  divine  testimony  to 
the  finished  sacrifice.  In  believing  the  record,  they 
obtain  the  forgiveness  and  the  ‘  no  condemnation  ’ 
which  come  through  Him  who  was  ‘  delivered  for 
our  offences,  and  raised  again  for  our  justification.’ 
0  perfect  sacrifice,  what  is  there  that  a  sinner,  bur¬ 
dened  with  guilt,  and  weary  of  the  evil  within  him, 
does  not  find  in  Thee  ?  Peace  for  trouble,  liberty 
for  bondage,  righteousness  for  unrighteousness,  ful¬ 
ness  for  emptiness,  holiness  for  pollution,  rest  for 
weariness,  light  for  darkness,  life  for  death, — all, 
all  in  Thee  ! 

5.  Thou  art  the  Prophet  like  unto  Moses. 

Yes ;  Thou  art  a  Prophet,  yet  more  than  a  pro¬ 
phet;  like  unto  Moses,  yet  greater  than  Moses ;  the 


Thou  art  the  Christ .  What  then  ? 


81 


world’s  true  Teacher,  both  in  things  past  and  in> 
things  to  come  :  a  Prophet  such  as  earth  has  never 
seen,  '  in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge  ’  (Col.  ii.  3).  Earth  needs  a  pro¬ 
phet,  and  Thou  art  He !  Man  would  fain  he  his 
own  prophet,  hut  he  prophesies  only  folly  and 
deceit :  Thou  only  art  what  so  many  among  us 
call  ‘  the  Prophet  of  humanity.’  Thou  art  not  *  a 
teacher  come  from  God,’  as  Mcodemus  called  Thee, 
hut  the  Teacher,  the  one  Teacher  of  Israel  and  of 
the  Church ;  the  only  Teacher  who  could  ever  say, 
*  I  am  the  Truth.’ 

Yes,  in  these  last  days  we  need  a  teacher  more 
than  ever ;  a  divine  and  perfect  teacher,  in  whose 
skill  and  instruction  we  can  have  fullest  confidence, 
and  in  whose  love  we  can  entirely  rest.  He  who 
taught  the  multitude  in  the  days  of  His  flesh  is  the 
teacher  for  us.  He  who  never  made  one  mistake  in 
His  teaching ;  who  never  refused  to  teach  even  the 
dullest ;  who  never  lost  His  temper  with  the  most 
froward  of  His  scholars ;  who  never  grudged  His 
time  and  trouble  to  any  one ;  who  never  exercised 
any  needless  or  untender  discipline ;  who  was 
Father,  Brother,  Teacher,  all  in  one, — this  Teacher 
is  ours. 

F 


82 


The  Christ  of  God. 


It  is  He,  the  Prophet  like  unto  Moses,  that  says, 
f  Give  ear,  0  ye  heavens,  and  I  will  speak ;  and 
hear,  0  earth,  the  words  of  my  mouth.  My  doc¬ 
trine  shall  drop  as  the  rain,  my  speech  shall  distil 
as  the  dew’  (Deut,  xxxii.  1).  All  that  was  in 
Moses  is  in  Him.  All  Samuel  and  David,  all 
Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah,  and  Ezekiel,  and  Daniel,  all 
Elijah  and  Elisha,  we  find  in  Him ;  nothing  lacking, 
nothing  unreal,  nothing  exaggerated,  hut  all  wisdom, 
and  earnestness,  and  gentleness,  and  calmness.  Just 
such  a  prophet  as  we  need  is  He,  this  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  this  Christ  of  God. 

To  each  of  us,  with  the  true  voice  of  a  teacher, 
‘  who  has  compassion  on  the  ignorant,’  He  says, 
‘  Learn  of  me.’  He  advertises  for  pupils,  He  en¬ 
treats  us  to  be  scholars  in  His  school,  to  become 
f  disciples,’  and  to  hear  the  words  of  His  lips.  The 
gate  of  His  school  is  ever  open,  and  He  gives  His 
instructions  freely.  All  are  welcome  !  Doth  He 
not  cry  ?  Doth  He  not  put  forth  His  voice  ? 
Doth  He  not  say,  ‘  0  ye  simple,  understand  wisdom; 
and,  ye  fools,  be  of  an  understanding  heart.  Hear, 
for  I  will  speak  of  excellent  things  ;  and  the  open¬ 
ing  of  my  lips  shall  be  right  things.  Eor  my  mouth 
shall  speak  truth . Eeceive  my  instruction,  and 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


83  - 


not  silver ;  and  knowledge  rather  than  choice  gold  » 
(Prov.  viii.  1-10).  Yet  this  unteachable  world 
refuses  to  learn,  preferring  every  other  prophet  to 
Him,  and  every  other  instruction  to  His  ;  loving 
the  darkness  rather  than  the  light,  and  preferring 
error  to  truth. 

6.  Thou  art  the  Anointed  One. 

The  true  anointing  is  with  Thee,  and  in  Thee ; 
the  fulness  of  the  Spirit  dwells  in  Thee,  and  the 
divine  unction  rests  upon  Thee ;  for  the  Father 
f  giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  Thee  * 
(John  iii.  34).  This  anointing  is  that  from  which 
Messiah  takes  His  name.  He  is  the  Messiah,  the 
Christ,  because  of  the  anointing,  because  of  His 
being  filled  with  the  Spirit.  ‘  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath 
anointed  me  ’  (Isa.  lxi.  1) ;  and  because  of  this.  He 
is  once  and  again  spoken  of  as  f  the  Anointed  One  ’ 
(Ps.  ii.  2).  He  is  anointed  as  the  Prophet,  as  the 
Priest,  as  the  King;  anointed  not  only  with  the 
Spirit  of  power  and  wisdom,  but  ‘  with  the  oil  of 
gladness  above  His  fellows  ’  (Ps.  xlv.  7).  This 
anointing  is  for  us.  He  received  it  that  He  might 


84 


The  Christ  of  God. 


preacli  the  gospel,  ‘good  tidings  to  the  meek’  (Isa. 
lxi.  1) ;  that  He  might  hind  up  the  broken-hearted ; 
that  He  might  give  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy 
for  mourning.  And  now  that  He  has  been  glorified, 
He  dispenses  this  Spirit  in  His  fulness,  as  at  Pente¬ 
cost.  Having  received  gifts  for  men,  even  for  the 
rebellious,  He  distributes  these  gifts  to  His  Church 
with  open  heart  and  hand,  so  that  she  has  all,  and 
abounds.  And  if  she  in  our  day  exhibits  only  lean¬ 
ness,  it  is  because  she  puts  away  the  fulness  which 
He,  as  ‘  the  Christ/  presents  to  her  from  His 
heavenly  throne.  e  Open  thy  mouth  wide,  and  I 
will  fill  it/  He  says  to  her. 

Why,  then,  should  the  Church  be  poor,  so  long  as 
her  Head  is  rich  ?  Why  should  any  saint  be  empty, 
so  long  as  Christ  is  full  ?  Why  should  any  of 
earth’s  rebellious  ones  refuse  to  come  and  partake 
of  this  divine  fulness  of  the  Spirit,  so  freely  held  out 
to  the  needy  sons  of  men  ? 1  Here  are  some  of  the 

1  Some  in  our  day  refuse  to  pray  for  the  Spirit,  and  think  it  sin¬ 
ful  to  ask  Him  to  come,  seeing  He  has  already  come.  On  the  same 
principle,  they  would  have  objected  to  those  who,  when  Christ  was 
here,  asked  Him  to  ‘come’  (see  John  iv.  47,  49,  xiv.  23).  Christ 
had  come,  yet  men  asked  Him  to  come  ;  and  He  came !  He  came 
to  them  individually,  or  to  their  house.  So  the  Spirit  has  come ; 
yet  we  ask  Him  to  come  ;  and  He  cometh!  We  ask  Him  to  come 
in  to  us,  or  to  our  friends,  or  to  our  city.  We  do  not  mean  to  deny 
that  He  came  at  Pentecost,  but  still  we  ask  Him  to  come  to  us. 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


85 


unsearchable  riches  of  the  Christ  set  before  us. 
They  come  down  on  us  abundantly,  overflowing  out 
of  His  fulness,  and  we  have  but  to  let  them  be 
poured  into  our  lap. 


*7.  Thou  art  Jehovah-Zidkenu,  the  Lord  our 
Righteousness  (Jer.  xxiii.  6). 

Thou  hast  given  a  life  of  righteousness  for  our 
life  of  unrighteousness;  a  life  of  obedience  for 
our  life  of  disobedience.  Thy  perfection  covers 
our  imperfection  in  every  part :  Thou  art  our 
righteousness;  Thou  art  the  righteousness  of  God 
for  us ;  Thou  art  made  unto  us  righteousness ; 
Thou,  who  knewest  no  sin,  wast  made  sin  for 
us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  Thee.  We  put  Thee  on, — Thee,  the 
righteous  One ;  Thou  art  ‘  the  best  robe,’  the  robe 
which  the  Father  hath  provided  for  us ;  Thou  art 

When  we  ask  for  teaching,  it  is  as  if  we  said,  0  Spirit,  come  and 
teach  us  ;  come  and  enlighten  us;  come  and  quicken  us.  Does  He 
teach  without  coming  to  us?  Is  He  a  mere  influence,  as  men  indi¬ 
cate  when  they  speak  of  ‘  divine  influences  ’  ?  Does  He  not  come 
in  to  the  soul  on  conversion?  Does  He  not  come  in  when,  as  the 
Comforter,  He  comforts?  Is  He  not  our  guest,  dwelling  in  us, 
and  working  in  us  ?  Such  quibbles  about  words  are  unworthy  of 
Christians. 


86 


The  Christ  of  God. 


the  ‘  garment  of  salvation/  and  the  '  robe  of  right¬ 
eousness’  (Isa.  lxi.  10);  so  that,  when  arrayed  in 
these,  it  is  said  to  each  of  us ,  *  Thou  art  perfect 
through  the  comeliness  which  I  have  put  upon 
thee’  (Ezek.  xvi.  14). 

Messiah  then,  in  the  divine  purpose,  was  to  be 
the  righteousness  of  God  ’  for  us.  Hot  only  does 
He  make  us  righteous  by  His  power,  but  He  is  our 
righteousness,  —  the  righteousness  which  God  has 
provided, — the  righteousness  of  incarnate  Godhead. 
'  Their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord  ’  (Isa. 
liv.  17). 

The  righteousness  of  God,  simply  as  God,  was 
not  enough  for  us ;  nay,  was  not  suitable :  the 
righteousness  of  man,  as  man,  was  wholly  insuffi¬ 
cient.  But  the  righteousness  of  Him  who  was  both 
God  and  man,  who  had  all  divine  and  all  human 
righteousness,  was  just  what  we  needed.  They  who 
affirm  that  the  righteousness  of  God  of  which  the 
apostle  speaks  (Rom.  iii.  21)  means  merely  the 
divine  attribute  or  perfection  known  by  that  name, 
overthrow  redemption ;  not  only  destroying  the 
apostle’s  argument  in  that  epistle,  but  subverting 
totally  the  justification  of  the  sinner  as  provided  by 
God  in  Christ  Jesus.  Eor  ‘  Christ  is  the  end  of  the 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


87 


law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth  * 
(Rom.  x.  4) ;  that  is,  He  has  fulfilled  the  law,  in 
order  to  provide  a  righteousness  by  which  the 
sinner  is  justified  in  believing.  For  in  believing 
we  receive  '  the  righteousness  ;  ’  in  believing  we  are 
'justified;’  in  believing  we  are  so  placed  in  oneness 
with  Him  who  is  the  Lord  our  righteousness,  that 
we  are  henceforth  treated  by  God  as  if  we  had  lived 
the  righteous  life  which  He  lived,  as  if  we  had  done 
all  the  righteous  things  which  He  did,  and  spoke 
all  the  righteous  words  which  He  spoke.  Though 
still  sinners,  and  deeply  conscious  of  evil,  we  know 
that  in  our  righteous  Representative  we  are  reckoned 
righteous,  and  dealt  with  by  God  as  if  all  our  un¬ 
righteousness  had  never  been,  nay,  as  if  we  had 
done  the  righteousness  which  He  has  done,  as  our 
surety  and  our  substitute.  Recognising  His  vicari¬ 
ous  life  and  death  as  that  on  which  we  stand  before 
God,  and  shall  hereafter  take  our  stand  before  the 
judgment-seat,  we  realize  the  truth,  'As  He  is,  so 
are  we  in  this  world’  (1  John  iv.  17).  'The  Lord 
is  well  pleased  for  His  righteousness’  sake  ’  (Isa.  xlii. 
21)  ;  so  well  pleased  with  Him ,  and  with  what  He 
has  done,  and  so  well  pleased  because  of  Him,  and 
because  of  what  He  has  done,  that  He  causes  His 


88 


The  Christ  of  God. 


well-pleaseclness  to  rest  on  every  one  who  accepts 
His  testimony  to  the  Beloved  Son. 

It  is  the  Judge  Himself  who  has  proposed  the 
plan  of  acquittal,  and  provided  the  substitute.  We 
fall  in  with  His  plan,  we  accept  the  substitute,  and 
are  thus  put  in  possession  of  the  righteousness.  With 
the  Judge  upon  our  side,  we  have  nothing  to  fear ; 
and  we  know  that  He  is  upon  the  side  of  all  who 
are  willing  to  own  their  condemnation  and  accept 
His  substitute.1 


8.  Thou  art  the  Light  of  the  World. 

Light  had  always  been  associated  with  Messiah  ; 
and  every  Jew  would  remember  this.  As  we  read 
the  prophets,  we  find  this  written  everywhere ;  and 
looking  into  the  face  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  we  say, 
Thou  art  the  true  light,  set  for  the  enlightening  of 

1  Some  in  our  day  have  made  use  of  a  peculiar  phraseology  to 
express  the  believer’s  complete  exemption  from  judgment.  ‘We 
V  stand  beyond  our  doom,’  they  say.  Not  so.  ‘We  must  all  appear 
before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.’  We  might  as  well  say  that  we 
stand  beyond  death,  because  we  have  been  ‘  quickened  together 
with  Christ ;  ’  or  beyond  resurrection,  because  we  have  ‘  risen  with 
Christ.  ’  Let  us  beware  of  pushing  Scripture  figures  too  far.  God 
has  graciously  written  them  down  for  us,  to  show  us  how  complete 
our  acquittal  is,  hut  let  us  not  go  beyond  the  words  themselves. 
We  are  still  on  this  side  resurrection  and  the  judgment.  The  rest 
will  follow  in  due  time. 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


89 


every  man,  the  Sun  of  a  dark  world.  Thou  art  He 
by  whom  the  long  darkness  is  to  he  banished,  and 
the  world  made  what  it  was  originally  designed  to 
be, — a  world  of  light.  Thou,  0  Jesus,  art  earth’s 
true  light,  man’s  true  light ! 

The  veil  had  been  spread  over  all  nations,  and 
Messiah  came  to  remove  it ;  the  light  for  ages  shone 
in  the  darkness,  though  the  darkness  did  not  receive 
it.  Ages  before  He  came,  He  was  announced  as  the 
Star  out  of  Jacob  (Hum.  xxiv.  17),  as  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  (Mai.  iv.  2).  The  light  that  Israel 
had  in  their  dwellings,  was  light  from  Him  (Ex.  x. 
23).  His  was  the  light  that  beamed  out  of  the 
pillar-cloud  (Ex.  xiv.  20).  His  was  the  'light  of  the 
morning’  predicted  by  David  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  4).  His 
was  the  light  of  which  we  read  so  often  in  the 
Psalms,  '  The  Lord  is  my  light  ’  (Ps.  xxvii.  1).  His 
is  the  light  that  is  '  sown  for  the  righteous  ’  (Ps. 
xcvii.  11).  It  is  He  whom  Isaiah  calls  the  'light  of 
Israel  ’  (x.  1 7) ;  and  of  whom  he  says  to  Israel, 
'Arise,  shine,  for  thy  light  is  come’  (lx.  1);  and  'the 
Lord  shall  be  thine  everlasting  light’  (lx.  19).  He 
was  the  dayspring  from  on  high  (Luke  i.  78),  the 
light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles  (Luke  ii.  32) ;  and  it  is 
of  Him  that  the  evangelist  wrote, '  In  Him  was  life, 


90 


The  Christ  of  God. 


and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men  ’  (John  i.  4). 
He  Himself  took  up  the  ancient  symbol,  and  applied 
it  to  Himself,  ‘  I  am  the  light  of  the  world  ’  (John 
viii.  12,  vii.  5). 

As  the  revealer  of  the  Father,  He  is  the  light  of 
the  world ;  as  the  forgiver  of  sin,  He  is  the  light  of 
the  world  ;  as  the  raiser  of  the  dead,  He  is  the  light 
of  the  world.  Already  in  some  measure  this  has 
been  exhibited ;  but  when  He  comes  the  second  time, 
it  shall  be  more  fully  seen  how  truly  He  is  the  f  day- 
star  ’  (2  Pet.  i.  19).  He  is  the  bright  and  morning 
star  (Rev.  ii.  28,  xxii.  16).  All  light  is  in  Him;  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  is  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ  (2  Cor.  iv.  6).  We  look  to  Him, 
and  are  lightened  (Ps.  xxxiv.  5) :  that  which  we  see 
in  Him  gives  us  light ;  for  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at 
all.  All  the  gracious  character  of  God  is  exhibited 
in  Him,  the  man  Christ  Jesus;  and  he  that  hath 
seen  Him  hath  seen  the  Father.  In  believing  on 
Him,  we  pass  out  of  darkness  into  light ;  and  in 
continuing  to  believe,  we  continue  to  enjoy  the  light. 
Let  us  hear  the  words  spoken  to  the  Ephesian 
Church,  f  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light  ’  (Eph.  v. 
14).  Thus  shall  we  walk  as  children  of  the  light 


Thou  art  the  Christ  What  then  ? 


91 


and  of  the  day,  walking  in  His  light,  and  not  in 
the  light  of  man. 


9.  Thou  art  the  Shepherd  of  Israel. 

Well  has  the  Holy  Spirit  chosen  this  name  for 
Messiah,  in  reference  to  the  errand  of  grace  on 
which  He  has  come  to  earth ;  and  very  fully  did  the 
Lord  Jesus  recognise  this  when  He  was  here,  again 
and  again  making  use  of  the  figure  as  applicable  to 
Himself  and  His  work. 

For  feeding  and  watching  his  flock,  a  shepherd 
needs  many  qualities.  He  must  not  be  merely  f  a 
hireling,  caring  not  for  the  sheep ;  ’  but  must  love 
his  flock.  He  must  be  tender  in  his  dealings  with 
them, — with  the  young,  and  the  sickly,  and  the 
wandering.  He  must  be  brave,  not  dreading 
danger,  nor  fleeing  from  the  lion  and  the  bear. 
He  must  be  strong ,  capable  of  much  endurance 
and  labour,  able  to  go  far  in  quest  of  his  stray 
ones,  to  lay  hold  on  them,  to  lift  them  to  his 
shoulder,  and  carry  them  home.  He  must  be 
patient,  not  getting  angry  at  their  stupidity,  or 
vagrancy,  or  perverseness ;  but  ever  bearing  with 
them,  and  all  the  more  because  of  their  froward- 


92 


The  Christ  of  God. 


ness.  He  must  be  gentle ,  not  speaking  roughly, 
nor  threatening,  nor  using  harsh  measures  with 
them.  He  must  be  watchful,  very  watchful,  with 
his  eye  upon  them  all,  in  rain,  or  wind,  or  storm, 
or  snow,  with  little  time  for  rest  to  himself,  content 
to  snatch  repose  now  and  then  as  it  may  offer.  He 
must  be  skilful, — skilful  in  guiding ;  knowing  the 
country  well  through  which  his  flock  is  passing, 
whether  it  be  desert  or  good  pasture ;  knowing  also 
the  wells  and  springs  by  the  way,  the  still  waters 
and  the  green  pastures,  the  shades  whether  of  rock 
or  grove  where  they  may  rest  at  noon.  He  must 
be  a  physician  too,  able  to  bind  up  that  which  is 
broken,  and  to  heal  that  which  is  sick;  knowing 
well  where  the  herbs  grow  for  medicine,  or  for 
binding  up  of  sores  and  wounds. 

Looking,  then,  up  to  Jesus  of  [Nazareth,  as  He 
asks  us,  Whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  we  answer :  Thou 
art  Israel’s  Shepherd,  the  Church’s  Shepherd,  and 
our  Shepherd,  so  that  we  shall  not  want.  Thou 
leadest  us  by  the  green  pastures  and  the  still 
waters ;  Thou  dost  not  over-drive  one  sheep  or 
lamb  in  all  Thy  scattered  flock ;  Thou  seekest 
and  searchest  them  out  in  all  places  where  they 
are  scattered  in  the  cloudy  and  dark  day ;  Thou 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


93 


seekest  that  which  is  lost ;  Thou  bringest  again 
that  which  is  driven  away,  and  bindest  up  that 
which  is  broken,  and  strengthenest  that  which  is 
sick ;  Thou  feedest  Thy  flock  like  a  shepherd ; 
Thou  gatherest  the  lambs  with  Thy  arm,  and 
carriest  them  in  Thy  bosom,  and  gently  leadest 
those  that  are  with  young.  Thy  sheep  hear  Thy 
voice ;  Thou  callest  them  by  name,  and  leadest  them 
out ;  Thou  goest  before  them,  and  they  follow  Thee, 
for  they  know  Thy  voice.  Thou  art  the  ‘  chief  Shep¬ 
herd  ’  (1  Pet.  v.  4),  the  ‘  great  Shepherd  ’  (Heb. 
xiii.  20),  the  ‘  good  Shepherd/  who  gavest  Thy 
life  for  the  sheep  (John  x.  11);  and  to  Thee  we 
say,  Give  ear,  0  Shepherd  of  Israel !  Thou  that 
leadest  Joseph  like  a  flock,  Thou  that  dwellest 
between  the  cherubim,  shine  forth.  Thou  art 
gentle,  and  tender,  and  gracious ;  Thou  art  strong, 
and  brave,  and  patient ;  Thou  art  watchful  and 
skilful,  alike  for  guidance  and  for  health, — Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  we  look  up  to  Thee  !  Save,  and 
guide,  and  protect,  and  bless,  that  no  evil  and 
no  enemy  may  prevail,  but  only  good  come  nigh 
to  us. 


94 


The  Christ  of  God. 


10.  Thou  art  the  Life  of  the  World. 

Life  and  light  are  twins.  They  are  like  double 
stars,  separate,  yet  linked  together.  He  who  has 
the  life  has  the  light,  and  he  who  has  the  light  has 
the  life.  The  living  One  is  the  light-giving  One. 
But  the  life  of  the  Christ  is  a  life  which,  alike  in 
nature,  and  in  power,  and  in  immensity,  is  like  no 
other  life.  Let  us  look  at  it. 

Death  has  spread  itself  over  the  earth  since  the 
time  that  man  sinned  and  brought  upon  himself  the 
doom  declared  at  first  by  God,  ‘  In  the  day  thou 
eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely  die’  (Gen.  ii.  17). 
ISTor  is  it  one  kind  of  death  that  has  come  upon  our 
race,  but  death  in  every  form  and  of  every  kind 
has  come.  That  which  God  calls  death  has 
become  the  heritage  of  the  sons  of  Adam;  and  a 
sore  heritage  it  has  been,  including  in  it  condemna¬ 
tion,  darkness,  alienation  from  God,  pain,  sorrow, 
terror,  with  the  separation  of  the  body  from  the 
soul,  the  corruption  of  the  grave,  and  the  second 
death  beyond.  Who  shall  undo  all  this  evil-doing  ? 
what  second  man  shall  destroy  the  first  death, 
and  cancel  the  second,  with  all  their  temporal  and 
eternal  accompaniments  ?  Only  He  who  is  pre- 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ?  95 

eminently  the  Man,  made  of  a  woman,  yet  one 
with  the  living  God.  Tor  in  order  to  have  death 
removed,  not  only  in  man,  or  beast,  or  herb,  we 
must  go  back  to  the  original  fountainhead  of  being, 
to  Him  who  not  only  has  life,  but  who  is  life,  and 
from  whom  the  exuberant  overflow  of  life  is  suffi¬ 
cient  to  undo  all  death,  and  to  impart  a  life  that 
shall  never  succumb  to  the  power  of  death,  or  of 
him  who  has  the  power  of  death,  again. 

Messiah  comes  !  He  comes  as  life ;  at  once  the 
possessor  and  bestower  of  life  to  all  who  need  it. 
Life  to  the  dead,  and  life  from  the  dead,  is  that 
which  the  Christ  of  God  proclaims  !  This  is  His 
errand  and  His  work.  ‘  I  am  come  that  they  might 
have  life,  and  that  they  might  have  it  more  abun¬ 
dantly  ’  (John  x.  10). 

Yet  He  does  not  give  life  by  a  mere  command,  as 
at  the  first  creation.  There  is  a  hindrance ;  some¬ 
thing  has  come  in  along  with  man’s  sin,  which  says 
that  the  old  way  of  imparting  life  is  at  an  end,  and 
that  a  mere  command  would  be  unavailing :  for  that 
which  has  now  come  in,  and  exercises  sway,  is  too 
powerful  to  be  thus  dealt  with,  for  it  wields  the 
power  of  law  and  righteousness.  These  must  be 
dealt  with  and  pacified  ere  life  can  find  its  way  to 


96 


The  Christ  of  Gocl. 


the  dead ;  for  the  death  was  a  righteous  death,  and 
only  by  righteousness  can  it  he  cancelled. 

The  Life,  then,  has  come ;  but  it  has  come  to 
die  !  Without  this  death  of  ‘  the  Life,’  the  quicken¬ 
ing  voice  cannot  reach  the  tomb.  ‘  That  which 
thou  sowest  is  not  quickened  except  it  die’  (1  Cor. 
xv.  36);  *  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the 
ground,  and  die,  it  abide th  alone :  but  if  it  die,  it 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit’  (John  xii.  24).  It  is  the 
death  of  f  the  Life  ’  that  brings  life  to  the  dead. 
Thus  it  is,  that  while  the  first  Adam  was  made  a 
living  soul,  the  last  Adam  was  made  a  quickening 
spirit  (1  Cor.  xv.  45).  The  Christ  possesses  the 
fulness  of  life  in  Himself  (John  v.  26),  but  it 
cannot  flow  out  to  us  till  He  dies.  He  lays 
down  His  life,  and  the  life  bursts  forth  over  earth  : 
the  dying  has  unbarred  the  gate,  and  that  gate 
cannot  again  be  closed.  This  is  the  flesh  which 
has  been  given  for  the  life  of  the  world,  and  the 
blood  which  has  been  shed  for  its  thirst. 

Thou,  0  Christ,  art  our  life.  Law  giveth  no 
life,  power  imparteth  no  life,  but  Thou  givest  it  by 
Thy  death.  Thy  death  has  given  Thee  the  power 
of  communicating  life.  And  now  each  of  us  may 
have  it  freely, — the  judicial  life,  which  springs  out 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


97 


of  the  ‘  no  condemnation ;  ’  and  the  spiritual  life, 
which  is  the  new  creation,  the  being  begotten 
again.  Thou,  0  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  art  truly  the 
Life  of  the  world ;  Thou  hast  life  enough  and  love 
enough  for  us.  And  these  are  not  merchandise,  to 
he  bought  and  sold  ;  they  are  to  he  had  for  the 
taking :  for  Thou  openest  Thy  hand,  and  givest 
freely.  Thou  art  the  bread  of  life,  of  which  any 
may  eat  freely ;  Thou  art  the  living  water,  of 
which  we  may  drink  without  money  or  price. 

11.  Thou  art  the  Bruiser  of  the  Serpent's  Head. 

By  Thee,  0  Christ  of  God,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who 
didst  die  and  rise  again,  as  the  sin-hearer,  the  great 
enemy  of  God  and  man  is  to  be  destroyed.  Thou 
hast  gone  forth  conquering,  and  to  conquer.  By 
Thee  Satan  is  cast  out,  and  cast  down,  and  bruised 
under  our  feet 1  (Ptom.  xvi.  2  0).  By  Thee  is  he 
to  he  overthrown,  in  the  last  great  battle  between 
heaven  and  hell;  and  by  Thee  is  he  to  be  hound 

1  It’  is  ‘  braising,  ’  not  extinction,  nor  annihilation,  far  less  re¬ 
storation,  that  is  predicted  regarding  the  great  adversary.  What 
the  eternal  braising  of  the  serpent’s  head  may  fully  mean,  we  cannot 
say.  We  must  be  content  with  such  passages  as  the  twentieth  of 
Revelation,  specially  ver.  10,  and  Matt.  xxv.  41. 


93 


The  Christ  of  God. 


in  chains  in  the  abyss  of  fire  (Rev.  xx.  1-10).  Thou 
art  conqueror;  such  a  conqueror  as  all  the  poten¬ 
tates  of  evil  shall  not  he  able  to  confront;  such  a 
conqueror  as  makes  our  own  victory  sure.  The 
conquered  One,  yet  the  conqueror ;  the  bruised  One, 
yet  the  bruiser :  conquering  by  being  conquered, 
bruising  by  being  bruised.  The  bruising  of  Thy 
heel  was  the  bruising  of  the  serpent’s  head. 

This  paradox  or  contradiction  in  the  first  promise 
must  have  struck  those  who  heard  it,  and  those  who 
in  after  ages  received  it.  There  was  a  mystery  that 
required  solution,  and  the  only  key  to  the  solution 
was  the  institution  of  sacrifice  ;  the  inscription  on 
each  patriarchal  altar  was,  ‘  Thou  shalt  bruise  His 
heel,  He  shall  bruise  thy  head.’  The  altar  was  the 
symbol  of  the  battle ;  it  was  the  battle-field  itself. 
There  the  two  battles  were  to  be  fought,  and  the 
two  victories  won :  the  first  battle  going  against 
the  woman’s  seed ;  and  the  second,  or  final  one, 
in  His  favour,  by  the  complete  overthrow  of  the 
serpent,  or  man’s  great  enemy.  It  was  to  be 
waged  not  between  God  and  man,  nor  between 
Satan  and  man,  but  between  God  and  Satan;  or 
God  personified  in  the  Christ,  and  man’s  enemy 
personified  in  Satan  and  symbolized  in  the  serpent : 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


99 


man  being,  as  it  were,  the  prize  or  trophy  of 
the  fight  between  the  Son  of  God  and  the  foe  of 
man. 

On  the  results  of  the  transaction  done  at  that 
altar,  man’s  eternal  welfare  was  to  turn.  The  Son 
of  God  went  there  first  to  be  bruised,  and  then  to 
bruise.  It  was  a  peculiar  battle,  and  a  peculiar 
victory.  At  that  altar  there  were  the  blood,  the 
fire,  the  smoke,  the  ashes,  the  incense, — all  indi¬ 
cating  the  mysterious  process  by  which  the  first 
promise  was  to  be  wrought  out.  Each  of  these  had 
to  be  studied  aright,  in  order  that  the  sinner  might 
understand  how  the  bruised  One  could  be  the 
bruiser,  how  the  vanquished  was  to  be  the  con¬ 
queror,  how  death  was  to  win  life.  The  mystery  of 
sin-bearing  could  not  then  be  fully  comprehended, 
but  some  light  was  shed  upon  it.  The  sinner  who 
brought  the  lamb,  and  who  shed  its  blood  at  the 
altar,  waiting  to  see  every  part  of  the  process  car¬ 
ried  out,  and  the  victim  consumed  to  ashes,  went 
away  satisfied  with  what  had  been  done ;  disbur¬ 
dened  by  having  given  his  burden  to  the  priest,  and 
seen  it  laid  upon  that  altar ;  relieved  in  conscience 
and  delivered  in  spirit  by  having  seen  the  devour¬ 
ing  fire  consume  the  offering,  leaving  nothing  but 


100 


The  Christ  of  God. 


the  ashes ,  in  token  that  the  fire  had  spent  itself 
npon  the  victim,  and  that  righteous  wrath  had  right¬ 
eously  passed  away  from  himself. 

‘There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus/  was  the  real  meaning  of  every 
sacrifice.  The  bruised  One  has  triumphed,  the 
dying  One  has  won  the  sinner’s  victory.  ‘  Christ 
hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law, 
being  made  a  curse  for  us.’  Tor  He  could  only 
redeem  the  accursed  one  by  taking  the  curse  upon 
Himself.  He  could  only  save  the  sinner  by 
taking  the  sin  upon  Himself. 

12.  Thou  art  the  Redeemer. 

In  Thee  we  have  redemption  through  Thy  blood, 
the  forgiveness  of  sins  according  to  the  riches  of 
Thy  grace.  Thou  hast  redeemed  ns  to  God  by 
Thy  blood :  and  we  know  that  our  Redeemer  liveth. 
Thou  hast  bought  us  back  from  the  enemy ;  Thou 
hast  found  a  ransom  for  us,  and  leadest  us  out  of 
prison.  Thou  art  made  unto  us  redemption  (1  Cor. 
i.  30)  ;  Thou  hast  obtained  eternal  redemption  for 
us  (Heb.  ix.  12).  The  redemption  of  the  soul,  the 
redemption  of  the  body,  the  redemption  of  the 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ?  101 


purchased  possession, — all  this  is  Thine,  the  work 
of  Thy  love  and  power  ;  and  we  are  f  sealed  unto 
the  day  of  redemption 

This  redemption  was  completed  on  the  cross ; 
there  the  price  was  paid  and  the  ransom  found. 
The  burial  and  resurrection  added  nothing  to  the 
redeeming  work ;  they  were  but  the  evidence  and 
seal  of  its  completeness.  In  suffering,  the  just 
for  the  unjust,  Christ  did  it  all.  The  cross  was  our 
redemption.  The  cross  was  our  justification.  In 
that  cross  we  have  power,  and  life,  and  blessing. 
Christ  crucified  is  the  power  of  God ;  and  to  the 
cross  we  turn  for  strength  in  the  day  of  weak¬ 
ness  ;  we  glory  in  it,  for  by  it  the  world  is 
crucified  to  us,  and  we  unto  the  world.  Re¬ 
demption  and  power  are  associated  together,  as 
truly  as  redemption  and  deliverance  ;  and  it  is  at 
the  cross  of  Christ  that  we  find  these.  By  His 
stripes  we  are  healed.  By  His  death  we  live.  By 
His  blood  we  are  redeemed ;  as  it  is  written,  we  are 
‘  justified  freely  by  His  grace,  through  the  redemp¬ 
tion  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus’  (Bom.  iff.  24).  The 
apostle  speaks  of  the  day  of  redemption  as  a  day 
still  future  (Eph.  iv.  30).  And  so  it  is.  For  not 
till  resurrection  is  redemption  really  completed. 


102 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


Yet  we  may  say  there  are  two  days  of  redemp¬ 
tion  :  the  first,  that  which  began  it,  —  on  the 
cross  ;  the  second,  that  which  is  to  finish  it,  — 
at  the  resurrection, — when  He  comes  to  raise  the 
dead,  and  change  the  living  saints.  To  the  first 
of  these  faith  looks  back  trustingly ;  to  the  second, 
hope  looks  forward  joyfully.  The  ransom,  in 
virtue  of  which  we  are  redeemed,  was  paid  upon 
the  cross ;  the  redemption,  which  is  the  comple¬ 
tion  of  the  end  for  which  the  ransom  wTas  given, 
still  awaits  resurrection.  Tor  redemption  in  its  full 
sense  means  the  actual  accomplishment  of  the 
thing  contemplated,  —  the  full  deliverance  of  the 
objects  for  whom  the  ransom  was  paid  down. 
Redemption  from  Egypt  or  Babylon  refers  to  the 
actual  recovery  of  the  bondsmen,  and  redemption 
from  the  power  of  the  grave  to  the  actual  resur¬ 
rection.  ‘  I  will  ransom  them  from  the  power 
of  the  grave;  I  will  redeem  them  from  death. 
0  death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues  ;  0  grave,  I  will 
be  thy  destruction :  repentance  shall  be  hid  from 
mine  eyes’  (Hos.  xiii.  14). 

Our  connection  with  this  redemption  is,  like  the 
whole  of  our  connection  with  the  person  or  work 
of  the  Christ  of  God,  a  very  simple  one.  It  is 


Thou  art  the  Christ  What  then  ?  103 


that  expressed  in  these  words :  e  He  that  believeth 
is  not  condemned’  (John  iii.  18).  ‘He  that  heareth 
my  word,  and  believeth  on  Him  that  sent  me, 
hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into 
condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  unto 
life’  (John  v.  24).  ‘  By  His  knowledge  (i.e.  by  the 

knowledge  of  Himself)  shall  my  righteous  Servant 
justify  many’  (Isa.  liii.  11).  ‘He  that  believeth 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God’  (1  John 

V.  1). 

The  Christ  of  God  is  our  Bedeemer,  and  it  is 
by  believing  that  we  get  possession  of  His  re¬ 
demption  for  ourselves. 

Concerning  this  redemption  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
fully  spoken ;  and  we  know  that  His  testimony 
is  true,  for  it  is  the  testimony  of  God  that  can¬ 
not  lie.  In  receiving  this  divine  testimony,  we 
become  connected  with  the  redemption  and  the 
Bedeemer.  Hot  by  waiting,  or  working,  or  buy¬ 
ing,  or  deserving,  do  we  get  this  whole  redemption 
and  this  whole  Bedeemer,  but  simply  by  believing. 
‘  He  that  believeth ,’  —  this  is  the  way  in  which 
God  has  always  put  His  gospel.  ‘  He  that  be- 
lieveth  ’  is  the  proclamation  which  He  commands 
us  to  make.  Are  we  content  with  this  ?  Or  do 


104 


The  Christ  of  God. 


we  say  it  is  too  simple  to  be  true  ?  Surely  we 
cannot  be  delivered  and  justified  by  simply  be¬ 
lieving  !  Well,  go  and  dispute  the  matter  with 
God,  and  ask  Him  His  reasons  for  putting  it  so 
singly.  Persuade  Him  to  mystify  His  language, 
and  alter  His  terms.  But,  till  you  have  succeeded 
in  procuring  from  Him  the  changes  which  yon 
think  would  make  it  a  better  and  safer  gospel, 
it  would  be  well  for  you  to  take  it  as  it  is.  You 
are  not  likely  to  improve  it ;  and  to  render  it 
more  complex  in  its  terms,  would  only  place  it 
beyond  the  reach  of  sinners  who,  sensible  of  total 
impotence  and  unworthiness,  find  it  in  its  sim¬ 
plicity  the  only  good  news  suitable  to  their  case. 

13.  Thou  art  the  Saviour  of  the  World. 

Thou,  0  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  hast  come  to  seek 
and  save  that  which  was  lost.  Thy  name  is 
‘Saviour,  Christ  the  Lord’  (Luke  ii.  11);  ‘God 
my  Saviour’  (Luke  i.  47);  the  ‘Saviour  of  the 
world’  (John  iv.  42)  ;  ‘  God  our  Saviour’  (1  Tim. 
i.  1);  ‘Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ’  (1  Tim.  i.  10). 
Salvation  is  linked  with  Thy  name.  Thy  person, 
Thy  work,  Thy  life,  Thy  death,  Thy  resurrection. 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ?  105 

Saviour  of  the  lost,  we  own  Thee,  0  Christ  of 
God. 

‘  Who  hath  saved  us  ’  is  the  song  we  sing 
(2  Tim.  i.  9);  to  Him  who  is  ‘able  to  save  to 
the  uttermost’  (Heb.  vii.  25).  He  ‘came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners’  (1  Tim.  i.  15).  ‘The  Son 
of  man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
lost  ’  (Matt,  xviii.  11);  and  ‘  by  grace  we  are  saved, 
through  faith  ’  (Eph.  ii.  5).  We  preach  Christ  the 
Saviour  of  sinners,  and  say  :  ‘  Believe  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved’  (Acts  xvi. 
30);  for  there  is  no  salvation  in  any  other,  nor 
any  other  name  given  under  heaven,  whereby  we 
must  be  saved  (Acts  iv.  12).  As  the  deliverer,  He 
saves.  As  the  looser  of  bonds,  He  saves.  As  the 
forgiver,  He  saves.  As  the  justifier,  He  saves.  As 
the  shepherd,  He  saves.  As  the  quickener,  He  saves. 
As  the  propitiation,  He  saves.  The  whole  com¬ 
pleteness  of  that  which  we  call  salvation  is  to  be 
found  in  Him,  without  stint,  or  lack,  or  grudging. 
In  His  fulness  is  salvation,  just  such  as  a  lost  one 
needs ; — deliverance  from  all  evil,  and  the  posses¬ 
sion  of  all  good. 

His  willingness  to  communicate  what  He  pos¬ 
sesses,  is  as  boundless  as  His  fulness.  He  loves 


106 


The  Christ  of  God. 


to  give  ;  nay,  He  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and 
upbraideth  not.  He  is  clothed  with  the  garments 
of  salvation  (Isa.  lxi.  1 0),  and  He  delights  to  impart 
that  salvation  to  all  who  need  it.  Out  of  His  lips 
goeth  the  word  of  salvation  (Acts  xiii.  26),  that  all 
who  come  within  the  sound  of  His  voice  may  hear 
and  live  (Isa.  lv.  3).  He  is  the  author  of  eternal 
salvation  (Heb.  v.  9),  and  He  presents  Himself  as 
such  to  the  lost.  His  long-suffering  is  salvation 
(2  Pet.  iii.  15);  for  He  waits  upon  the  sinner,  not 
willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should 
come  to  repentance.  His  Holy  Scriptures  are  able 
to  make  us  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which 
is  in  Himself  (2  Tim.  iii.  15).  The  Pather  hath 
f  set  Him  to  be  a  light  of  the  Gentiles,  that  He 
should  be  for  salvation  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth  ’ 
(Acts  xiii.  47).  Thus,  then,  He  speaks  to  us,  and 
says  :  ‘  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the 
ends  of  the  earth’  (Isa.  xlv.  22).  This  is  the  sal¬ 
vation  and  this  is  the  Saviour  of  whom  we  preach, 
in  preaching  *  the  Christ  of  God.’  ‘  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,’  is  our  mes¬ 
sage  ; — and  how  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so 
great  salvation  ? 

All  that  salvation  is  we  do  not,  cannot  know, 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ?  1 0  7 


now ;  but  we  shall  know  hereafter.  There  is  so 
much  to  be  saved  from ;  there  is  such  manifold 
fulness  in  the  Saviour  ;  and  there  is,  over  and  above 
the  mere  salvation,  such  a  glory,  and  honour,  and 
blessedness  in  reserve  for  the  saved,  that  we  may 
truly  say  that  we  know  not,  and  shall  never  fully 
comprehend,  what  salvation  is.  The  f  wells  of  sal¬ 
vation  9  (Isa.  xii.  3)  are  very  deep.  The  heights  of 
salvation  are  very  lofty.  The  circle  of  salvation 
is  very  large.  The  joy  of  salvation  is  satisfying 
and  exuberant.  And  all  this  is  so  free  and  rich, 
that  we  can  only  say  it  is  infinitely  worth  the 
having ;  all  things  which  eye  hath  seen,  or  ear  hath 
heard,  are  not  to  be  compared  with  it.  He  who 
gains  it,  gains  all  that  is  worth  the  having ;  he 
who  loses  it,  loses  everything,  and  is  left  incon¬ 
ceivably  and  eternally  poor. 


1 4.  Thou  art  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life. 

The  Christ  of  God  was  to  be  the  conqueror  of 
death  and  the  spoiler  of  the  grave.  Through  Him 
the  old  sentence  of  death  was  to  be  reversed,  and 
life  both  for  soul  and  body  was  to  be  restored.  He 
came  to  abolish  death,  and  bring  life  and  immor- 


108 


The  Christ  of  God. 


tality  to  light :  to  bind  the  strong  man,  and  to  spoil 
his  house ;  to  destroy  death,  and  him  that  had  the 
power  of  death ;  and  to  lead  captivity  captive.  The 
expression  ‘  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life  ’ 
carries  us  to  the  apostle’s  statement  as  to  the  dead 
and  living  saints  at  the  Lord’s  coming.  ‘  He  that 
believetli  in  me,’  says  our  Lord,  ‘  though  he  were 
dead,  yet  shall  he  live,’  is  similar  to  the  words, 
‘  The  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first.’  ‘  He  that  liveth 
and  believeth  in  me  ’  (i.e.  the  living  saints,  or  f  we 
who  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  ’)  f  shall  never  die,’  resembles  ‘  We  shall 
not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,’  or  as  it 
is  written  again,  ‘  We  that  are  alive  and  remain 
shall  be  caught  up  together  into  the  clouds,  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air ;  and  so  shall  we  be  for  ever 
with  the  Lord’  (see  1  Cor.  xv.  and  1  Thess.  v.). 

Very  great  importance  is  attached  in  Scripture  to 
resurrection ;  redemption  is  incomplete  without  it. 
The  work  of  Christ  fails  in  one  main  part  of  its 
reversal  of  Satan’s  work,  if  it  do  not  accomplish 
this.  Hence  He  Himself  reiterates  the  words  so 
often,  f  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.’  The 
theological  tendencies  of  our  day  are  either  to  deny 
it  or  to  undervalue  it.  And  hence  the  special 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ?  109 


value  of  our  Lord’s  peculiar  refutation  of  the 
Sadducees,  when  he  quoted  the  words,  *  I  am  the 
God  of  Abraham/  in  proof  of  resurrection,  and 
added,  ‘  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  the 
God  of  the  living  ’  (Matt.  xxii.  32). 

Some  have  wondered  why  our  Lord  should  select 
such  a  passage  as  proof  in  this  case.  But  first  of 
all,  it  was  needful  in  arguing  with  the  Sadducees  to 
look  hack  to  Moses  for  his  proof ;  and  secondly,  it 
was  needful  to  take  words  which  should  go  down 
to  the  very  root  of  the  doctrine,  and  exhibit  its 
basis  as  resting  on  the  very  being  of  God,  on  His 
relationship  to  His  creatures,  on  His  character  as 
the  living  One,  on  the  impossibility  of  His  being 
the  God  of  the  dead.  As  Abraham’s  God,  He  was 
as  much  pledged  to  deliver  Abraham’s  body  as  his 
soul.  Resurrection  was  as  essential  a  part  of 
redemption  as  forgiveness  and  regeneration.  The 
restoration  of  every  good  thing  that  man  had  lost 
was  necessary  to  the  fulfilment  of  God’s  eternal 
purpose,  and  was  inseparably  connected  with  the 
character  and  work  of  Him  who  came  not  simply 
as  our  propitiation,  but  our  substitute,  taking  on 
Him  our  infirmities  that  He  might  deliver  us  from 
them,  going  down  into  our  grave  that  He  might 


110 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


pluck  us  thence,  and  purchase  for  us  bodies  like 
His  own,  glorious  and  incorruptible. 

Whether  we  are  able  just  now  to  apprehend  the 
full  value  of  resurrection  or  not,  matters  little. 
God  evidently  lays  great  stress  upon  it,  and  seems 
to  intimate  that,  without  this,  His  great  scheme 
would  be  mutilated.  Many  say,  Oh,  if  we  be 
eternally  blest,  what  matters  it  whether  we  have 
bodies  or  not  ?  Hay,  but,  0  man,  who  art  thou 
that  repliest  against  God,  undervaluing  thy  body 
which  God  created,  and  thereby  affirming  that  this 
material  part  of  creatureliood  was  a  needless  act 
of  power,  or  perhaps  a  mistake  ? 

It  is  a  curious  phenomenon,  that  in  proportion 
as  philosophic  materialism  makes  progress  in  our 
day,  resurrection  is  underrated  or  ridiculed.  One 
would  have  thought  that  materialism  would  have 
welcomed  the  doctrine  of  resurrection  as  in  sym¬ 
pathy  with  itself.  Hot  so:  it  dislikes  resurrection; 
specially,  no  doubt,  because  the  superhuman  and 
supernatural  are  thus  called  in  ;  but  also  because, 
while  affirming  the  existence  of  matter,  resurrec¬ 
tion  assumes  the  existence  of  spirit.  In  other 
words,  the  material  is  based  upon  the  spiritual ; 
and  resurrection  implies  a  totally  different  kind 


Thou  art  the  Christ  What  then  ?  Ill 


of  materialism  from  that  which,  modem  scepticism 
has  advocated. 

The  connection  of  resurrection  with  Christ  renders 
the  reconciliation  of  resurrection  with  materialism 
impossible.  4  Jesus  and  the  resurrection  ’  was  what 
the  apostles  preached  (Acts  xvii.  18).  The  two 
things  are  so  linked  together,  that  they  who  might 
he  inclined  to  take  the  one  without  the  other 
cannot.  They  must  take  both  or  none. 

It  is  difficult  to  see  why  resurrection  is  so  little 
dwelt  upon  by  Christians.  If  the  soul  is  safe,  they 
say,  we  need  not .  care  what  becomes  of  the  body. 
God’s  thoughts,  however,  on  this  matter  are  not 
ours.  His  estimate  of  the  body  is  not  low  and 
poor.  When  He  shall  transform  and  glorify  us,  then 
it  shall  he  seen  what  the  body  is,  to  what  honour  it 
can  attain,  and  what  high  functions  and  services  to 
the  soul  it  can  perform.  As  the  ‘  vile  body,’  or 
'body  of  humiliation’  (Phil.  iii.  21),  it  may  often 
seem  now  a  hindrance,  a  drag,  and  a  deformity ; 
hut  in  the  day  when  it  shall  he  made  like  unto 
the  glorious  body  (or  body  of  the  glory)  of  Him 
who  is  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  it  will  he 
seen  in  its  full  serviceableness,  and  perfection,  and 
beauty ;  the  handmaid  of  the  soul  and  the  minister 


112 


The  Christ  of  God. 


of  God ;  the  golden  link  or  communication  between 
the  material  and  the  spiritual,  the  visible  and  the 
invisible ;  that  wondrous  agency  by  which  the  will 
draws  all  precious  things  out  of  what  we  call 
nature, — music  from  the  air  by  touch,  sweetness 
from  substances  by  taste,  beauty  out  of  the  stone 
by  sculpture,  power  out  of  the  fire,  and  fertility  out 
of  the  barren  soil.  Tor  the  uses  of  the  body,  in 
its  different  members  and  senses,  are  beyond  num¬ 
ber,  and  altogether  wonderful ;  and  what  we  see 
of  their  uses  now,  is  nothing  in  comparison  with 
what  we  shall  see  hereafter,  when  God  Himself 
takes  up  the  human  frame,  and  as  from  a  well-tuned 
harp  draws  out  of  it  the  melodies  of  the  everlasting 
age. 

We  should  prize  resurrection.  It  is  the  true  day 
of  meeting  and  re-union ;  the  day  of  perfection  and 
blessedness.  Then  that  which  is  sown  in  weakness 
shall  be  raised  in  power.  Voices  long  dumb  shall 
speak  again.  Eyes  long  dimmed  shall  look  into 
each  other  again.  Hands  shall  once  more  clasp 
each  other,  —  and  the  long,  long  day  of  human 
fellowship  shall  begin,  never  to  change  or  end. 

‘  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  dust ;  for  thy 
dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs’  (Isa.  xxvi.  19). 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


113 


Of  this  fair  prospect  the  Christ  of  God  is  the 
centre.  ‘  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also.’  We 
rise  because  He  has  risen.  We  live  because  He 
liveth.  His  incorruption  is  ours  ;  and  His  glory 
is  our  glory.  All  that  we  shall  have  in  that  resur¬ 
rection-day  we  shall  owe  to  Him  alone  who  died  for 
us,  and  who  rose  again.  Faith  knits  us  to  His  cross. 
Faith  links  us  to  His  grave.  Faith  connects  us  with 
His  resurrection  in  the  fulness  of  its  eternal  love 
and  power.  Through  Him  who  is  our  resurrection 
we  shall  know  what  it  is  to  have  death  swallowed 
up  in  victory,  and  to  sing  the  song  of  triumph : 

0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ? 

0  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ? 

The  sting  of  death  was  sin  ; 

The  strength  of  sin  was  the  law. 

But  thanks  be  to  God, 

Who  giveth  us  the  victory, 

Through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  of  the  resurrection  unto  glory,  honour,  and 
immortality  that  the  apostle  sings  so  triumphantly, 
inviting  us  to  join  in  his  song.  It  is  the  song  of 
the  first  resurrection,  like  that  which  Moses  and 
Miriam  sang  when  the  Bed  Sea  was  crossed ;  the 
song  of  victory  over  death  and  the  grave ;  to  which 

song  we  may  add  this  as  its  completion: 

H 


114 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Blessed  are  they  that  are  called 
To  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  ; 

Blessed  and  holy  is  he 

That  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  : 

On  such  the  second  death  shall  have  no  power  ; 

But  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ, 

And  shall  reign  with  Him  a  thousand  years. 

15.  Thou  art  the  Judge. 

( The  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  com¬ 
mitted  all  judgment  to  the  Son ;  .  .  .  and  hath 
given  Him  authority  to  execute  judgment  also,  be¬ 
cause  He  is  the  Son  of  man’  (John  v.  22,  27).  It 
was  part  of  God’s  purpose  that  the  world  should  he 
judged  by  a  man ;  and  the  Christ,  as  the  ‘  second 
man/  or  ‘last  Adam/  has  come  to  be  the  world’s 
Judge  ;  not  now,  indeed,  for  He  is  not  yet  judging, 
and  He  has  not  set  up  His  throne  of  judgment 
(John  ix.  39).  But  still  He  is  Judge,  and  as  such 
He  will  come  again  in  His  glory. 

f  Jehovah  is  our  Judge  ’  was  part  of  Israel’s 
creed.  Again  and  again  He  is  sung  of  in  the 
Psalms  as  Judge ;  Judge  of  the  earth,  and  the  ends 
thereof;  Judge  of  the  nations, — as  in  such  passages 
as  the  following : 

Let  the  nations  be  glad, 

Yea,  sing  for  joy  : 

Bor  Thou  shalt  judge  the  people  righteously, 

And  govern  the  nations  upon  earth  (Ps.  lxvii.  4). 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


115 


And  again,  in  reference  to  Messiah,  Asaph  sings  : 

God  standetli  in  the  congregation  of  the  mighty  ; 

He  judgeth  among  the  gods  (Ps.  lxxxii.  1). 

• 

And  once  more,  speaking  of  the  coming  judgment 
and  reign,  David  speaks  : 

He  shall  judge  the  people  righteously  ! 

Let  the  heavens  rejoice, 

And  let  the  earth  he  glad  ; 

Let  the  sea  roar, 

And  the  fulness  thereof. 

Let  the  field  be  joyful, 

And  all  that  is  therein  : 

Then  shall  all  the  trees  of  the  wood  rejoice 

Before  the  Lord  ! 

For  He  cometh  ! 

For  He  cometh  ! 

To  judge  the  earth  : 

He  shall  judge  the  world  with  righteousness, 

And  the  people  with  His  truth  (Ps.  xcvi.  10-13). 

It  is  to  judgment  that  all  things  are  now  point¬ 
ing  forward ;  and  the  coming  of  the  Judge,  who  is 
the  Christ  of  God,  is  the  world’s  great  hope.  Like 
that  of  the  ancient  judges  in  Israel,  His  office  is 
not  one,  hut  manifold.  They  were  raised  up  to 
clear  the  land  of  enemies,  to  sit  in  judgment,  and 
to  reign  as  kings.  So  shall  it  he  with  our  Judge. 
And  for  Him,  as  such,  we  look.  The  Church  looks 
for  Him ;  the  world  looks  for  Him  ;  creation  looks 
for  Him.  In  Him,  God’s  great  original  purpose 
concerning  earth  will  he  carried  out.  He  comes  to 


116 


The  Christ  of  God. 


set  up  His  throne,  to  take  the  reins  of  government, 
and  to  rule  in  righteousness.  Men  shrink  from 
such  a  crisis  in  earth’s  history  as  the  arrival  of  the 
Judge  implies.  They  dread  the  judgment,  and  they 
have  begun  to  disbelieve  and  deny  it. 

That  ‘  God  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness 
by  that  Man  whom  He  hath  appointed 5  (Acts  xvii. 
31),  is  a  doctrine  counted  obsolete  by  many.  The 
current  of  the  age  is  against  it.  The  march  of 
intellect  has  superseded  the  necessity  for  it.  The 
larger  and  wider  views  of  God’s  character  now 
evolving,  show  that  He  is  not  likely  thus  to  arraign 
His  creatures  before  His  bar.  Man,  with  His  pro¬ 
gress  in  science,  and  his  skill  in  art,  is  getting  too 
powerful  to  be  thus  summarily  dealt  with ! 

With  many  in  our  day,  judgment  by  the  direct 
interference  of  God  is  considered  out  of  the  question. 
Man’s  own  indiscretions  may  injure  him.  His 
follies  may  avenge  themselves  upon  him.  He  may 
thus  be  self-judged  and  self-punished,  as  his  con¬ 
science  troubles  him,  or  as  he  reaps  the  fruit  of  his 
misdeeds.  But  beyond  these  effects  of  his  conduct, 
— the  recoil  of  his  own  violence, — judgment  cannot 
be.  It  is  unpliilosophical,  unnatural,  and  in  the  teeth 
of  the  world’s  history.  There  will  be  earthquakes, 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ?  117 


with  submerged  cities ;  but  these  are  the  evolution 
of  the  laws  of  nature.  There  will  be  the  sweeping 
hurricane,  levelling  the  works  of  man.  There  will 
be  the  tempest,  raising  the  billows,  and  swallowing 
up  navies.  There  will  be  the  lightning,  splitting 
rocks  and  towers.  There  will  be  the  pestilence, 
prosecuting  its  remorseless  march  over  sea  and 
land,  from  east  to  west.  There  will  be  the  famine, 
emptying  cities  and  villages  of  their  millions. 
There  will  be  all  these  ;  but  these  are  not  judg¬ 
ment,  nor  forerunners  of  the  Judge !  They  are 
the  unfolding  of  certain  rigid  laws,  which  have 
been  impressed  on  nature  from  the  beginning,  and 
cannot  be  interfered  with.  Beyond  these  agencies 
of  terror  there  is  no  judgment,  and  no  penalty  for 
man’s  guilt ! 

Thus  speaks  philosophy,  more  and  more  boldly 
every  year.  Prosecuting  the  devious  speculations 
of  unbelief,  it  gets  further  and  further  from  God. 
It  hates  the  thought  of  God  coming  nearer  man, 
either  to  punish  or  reward.  ‘  Where  is  the  pro¬ 
mise  of  His  coming  ?  ’  is  its  boasting  shout. 

Yet  the  Judge  will  come.  The  Christ  will 
come.  He  waits,  because  He  is  long-suffering, 
not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all 


118 


The  Christ  of  God. 


should  come  to  repentance.  He  lingers  because 
He  loves.  He  is  slow  to  leave  the  throne  of 
grace,  and  to  ascend  the  throne  of  judgment.  For 
His  mercy  endureth  for  ever ;  and  every  part  of 
creaturehood  is  of  value  in  His  eyes.  What  a 
gospel  this  delay  preaches  to  the  sons  of  men, 
even  when  not  a  word  is  spoken  !  He  lingers  and 
tarries,  because  He  pities,  and  seeks  not  to  destroy, 
but  to  save.  Each  hour’s  delay  is  a  fresh  message 
of  grace  to  you,  0  man !  It  says  to  you :  Tarry 
not,  draw  near,  be  reconciled,  enter  into  peace 
through  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  and  live  for 
ever. 


16.  Thou  art  the  King  of  Kings. 

In  God’s  purpose  there  was  a  King.  One  will 
was  to  be  the  ruler  of  many  wills.  One  man 

was  to  have  dominion  over  earth  and  sea.  In 

heaven  there  seems  to  be  no  such  predominance 
or  pre-eminence  of  the  one  over  the  many.  God 
there  is  all,  and  under  Him  directly  the  heavenly 
hosts.  On  earth  it  was  otherwise.  God  was  to 
rule  it  by  means  of  a  man,  and  the  first  Adam 

was  set  on  its  throne  as  sole  and  sovereign  ruler. 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


119 


Earth  was  given  to  naan  to  be  ruled  by  him  as 
well  as  replenished. 

The  first  man  left  his  first  estate,  and  lost  his 
crown.  Since  then  there  have  been  many  rulers 
among  the  many  subdivisions  or  regions  of  earth. 
And  these  rulers  man  has  called  kings.  Eor 
many  ages  they  have  been  exercising  dominion, 
yet  they  have  failed  to  rule  successfully.  Earth  is 
no  nearer  its  normal  state  of  order  and  peace  than 
it  wTas  when  first  they  took  up  their  sceptres.  Nay, 
under  the  rule  of  man,  confusion  multiplies  ;  law¬ 
lessness  and  disobedience  overflow ;  and  nothing 
but  the  sword  prevents  this  world  from  being  a 
chaos  and  a  slaughter-house.  The  armies  of  earth, 
meant  for  war,  are  the  only  preservers  of  peace. 

God  means  to  prove  man  to  the  uttermost,  and 
to  test  his  ability  to  govern  and  to  preserve 
order  on  his  own  earth.  When  that  proof  has 
been  completed,  and  man  demonstrated  to  be  un¬ 
able  to  rule  his  own  world,  then  God  introduces 
His  own  King,  who  is  to  rule  the  earth  in  right¬ 
eousness. 

This  King  of  kings  is  the  Christ  of  God.  Times 
without  number  has  God  described  for  us  this 
Messiah  and  His  kingdom, — His  fitness  to  reign, 


120 


The  Christ  of  God. 


and  the  glory,  as  well  as  the  peace  and  order,  by 
which  that  reign  is  to  be  distinguished. 

Thus  David  speaks  in  his  last  words  : 

There  shall  he  a  just  one  ruling  over  men, 

Ruling  in  the  fear  of  God. 

He  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  morning 
When  the  sun  riseth  ; 

A  morning  without  clouds  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  4). 

Thus  he  speaks  in  the  well-known  psalm  of  the 
kingdom : 

Give  the  King  Thy  judgments,  0  God, 

And  Thy  righteousness  unto  the  King’s  Son. 

He  shall  judge  Thy  people  with  righteousness, 

And  Thy  poor  with  judgment. 

In  His  days  shall  the  righteous  flourish  ; 

And  abundance  of  peace  shall  be 
As  long  as  the  moon  endureth. 

He  shall  have  dominion  from  sea  to  sea, 

And  from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

All  kings  shall  fall  down  before  Him  ; 

And  all  nations  shall  serve  Him  (Ps.  lxxii.  1-11). 

Thus,  too,  Isaiah  points  the  prophetic  finger  to  the 
coming  King, — the  expected  Christ : 

Behold  ! 

A  King  shall  reign  in  righteousness, 

And  princes  shall  decree  judgment. 

Yea,  this  man  shall  be 
An  hiding-place  from  the  wind, 

And  a  covert  from  the  tempest ; 

As  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place, 

As  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land  (Isa.  xxxii.  1). 

And  again  he  points  to  Him,  and  dilates  upon 
the  glories  of  His  reign  as  the  reign  of  peace,  the 


Thou  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


121 


‘  restitution  of  all  things/  the  more  than  restora¬ 
tion  of  Paradise : 

There  shall  come  forth  a  rod 
Out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse, 

And  a  branch  (a  shoot) 

Shall  grow  out  of  his  roots  : 

And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  Him, 

The  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding, 

The  spirit  of  counsel  and  might, 

The  spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

With  righteousness  shall  He  judge  the  poor, 

And  reprove  with  equity  for  the  meek  of  the  earth  : 

And  He  shall  smite  the  earth 
With  the  rod  of  His  mouth, 

And  with  the  breath  of  His  lips 
Shall  He  slay  the  wicked. 

And  righteousness  shall  he  the  girdle  of  His  loins, 

And  faithfulness  the  girdle  of  His  reins. 

The  wolf  also  shall  dwell  with  the  lamb, 

And  the  leopard  shall  lie  down  with  the  kid  ; 

The  calf,  the  young  lion,  and  the  fatling  together  ; 

And  a  little  child  shall  lead  them. 

And  the  cow  and  the  bear  shall  feed  ; 

Their  young  ones  shall  lie  down  together  : 

And  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox. 

The  sucking  child  shall  play  on  the  hole  of  the  asp, 

And  the  weaned  child  shall  put  his  hand  on  the  cockatrice’  den. 
They  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy 
In  all  my  holy  mountain  : 

For  the  earth  shall  be  full 
Of  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord, 

As  the  waters  cover  the  sea  (Isa.  xi.  1-9). 

His  crown,  His  throne,  His  sceptre,  are  fully 
described  in  many  ways,  and  by  different  prophets ; 
each  seeming  to  vie  with  the  other  as  to  who  shall 
speak  of  them  most  perfectly.  Messiah  as  King,  is 


122 


The  Christ  of  God. 


one  of  the  most  prominent  themes  of  prophecy. 
We  find  Him  everywhere  as  such, — the  Church’s 
joy,  the  world’s  hojie,  Israel’s  expectation,  and  crea¬ 
tion’s  deliverance.  And  when  He  comes  again  in 
His  royal  splendour,  we  read : 

In  righteousness  doth  He  judge  and  make  war. 

His  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire, 

And  on  His  head  are  many  crowns  ; 

And  He  is  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood  : 

And  His  name  is  called  the  Word  of  God. 

Out  of  His  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword, 

That  with  it  He  should  smite  the  nations ; 

And  He  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron  : 

And  He  treadeth  the  wine-press 
Of  the  fierceness  and  wrath 
Of  Almighty  God. 

And  He  hath  on  His  vesture  and  on  His  thigh 
A  name  written, 

Iving  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords  (Rev.  xix.  11-15). 

Messiah  is  at  once  Priest  and  King.  His  is  the 
royal  priesthood,  or  the  priestly  kingship.  He  is 
Melcliizedek,  King  of  Salem,  and  Priest  of  the 
Most  High  God.  His  kingdom  is  an  everlasting 
kingdom.  As  son  of  Adam,  His  dominion  is  over 
earth ;  as  son  of  David,  His  kingdom  is  over  Israel. 
Yet  is  He  King  of  heaven  also,  seated  on  the  eternal 
throne,  and  wearing  the  crown  of  the  universe.  Por 
there  is  a  future  for  the  Church,  a  future  for  Israel, 
a  future  for  the  earth,  a  future  for  heaven,  a  future 
for  the  universe  in  connection  with  His  kingship  as 


Them  art  the  Christ.  What  then  ? 


123 


the  Christ  of  God,  which  is  as  blessed  as  it  is 
boundless,  as  glorious  as  it  is  eternal. 

On  His  throne  shall  His  Church  sit,  sharing 
His  triumphs  and  glories :  for  each  of  His  re¬ 

deemed  is  an  heir  of  God,  and  a  joint-heir  with 
Christ.  ‘  If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
Him.’  Our  designation  is,  ‘  partakers  of  the  glory 
that  shall  be  revealed.’  The  lines  have  fallen 

unto  us  in  pleasant  places ;  yea,  we  have  a  goodly 
heritage.  We  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is 
in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God.  We  receive 

the  crown  of  righteousness  (2  Tim.  iv.  8),  the 

crown  of  life  (Jas.  i.  12),  the  crown  of  glory 
(1  Pet.  v.  4).  Ours  is  the  Morning -star ;  and 
having  overcome,  we  sit  with  Messiah  on  His 
throne,  even  as  He  overcame  and  sat  down  with 
the  Father  on  His  throne. 


124 


The  Christ  of  God. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

WHAT  FOLLOWS  THIS  CONFESSION. 

rjTHIS  confession  cannot  be  barren.  It  contains 
in  it  such  truth  as  must  be  productive  in 
many  ways.  All  truth  is  indeed  fruitful  according 
to  its  kind,  but  this  is  the  most  fruitful  of  all. 

It  contains,  besides,  so  much  personal  truth, — 
truth  which  we  need,  and  truth  which  could  not 
be  reached  in  any  other  way.  Its  effect  upon  us 
is  marvellous.  Its  teachings  are  as  manifold  as 
they  are  divine.  It  wraps  up  within  it  so  many 
other  truths,  that  in  getting  hold  of  it  we  find 
ourselves  in  possession  of  ‘  unsearchable  riches/ 

If  Thou  art  the  Christ,  then 

1.  I  see  in  Thee  the  Love  of  God. 

It  is  specially  with  this  that  we  have  to  do ; 
for  without  this,  man  must  be  poor  and  dark, — 


What  follows  this  Confession. 


125 


a  land  without  a  stream, — a  world  without  a  sun. 
Messiah  is  (1)  the  gift  of  God’s  love,  (2)  the  em¬ 
bodiment  of  God’s  love,  (3)  the  pledge  of  God’s 
love,  (4)  the  measure  of  God’s  love.  I  read  in 
Thy  person,  Thy  words,  Thy  doings,  Thy  life,  Thy 
death,  that  ‘  God  is  love.’  It  is  of  the  love  of 
Godhead  that  Thou  hast  brought  us  the  glad 
tidings ;  for  the  Father  sent  Thee  to  announce 
His  love.  ‘  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave 
His  only-begotten  Son.’  Love  shineth  in  Thee ; 
not  merely  love  such  as  heaven  needs,  but  such 
as  earth  needs,  —  love  such  as  is  needed  by  the 
unlovable  and  the  unworthy,  —  the  love  of  for¬ 
giveness,  and  reconciliation,  and  peace, — the  love 
of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  Thy 
birth  spoke  of  love.  Thy  life  spoke  of  love.  Thy 
words  spoke  of  love.  Thy  miracles  spoke  of  love. 
All  Thy  footsteps  were  the  footsteps  of  love.  And 
Thy  death  was  the  death  of  love.  It  was  the 
love  of  God  that  shone  down  from  Thy  cross  upon 
earth,  like  a  new -lighted  sun.  The  love  of  the 
cradle  was  much ;  the  love  of  the  cross  was  more. 
In  Thee,  the  Christ  of  God,  we  learn  the  love  of 
God. 


126 


The  Christ  of  God. 


2.  I  see  in  Thee  my  Way  of  Access  to  God. 

Through  Thee,  O  Christ,  I  have  access  by  one 
Spirit  unto  the  Father.  Thou  hast  drawn  nigh  to 
me,  that  I  might  draw  nigh  to  Thee  and  to  the 
Father.  Thou  hast  prepared  a  way ;  nay,  Thou  art 
Thyself  the  new  and  living  Way.  Thou  art  the 
altar  and  the  laver  by  which  I  pass  into  the  holy 
place.  Thou  art  the  incense,  the  perfume  of  which 
makes  me  acceptable  in  the  courts  of  the  Lord. 
Thou  art  the  veil  which  was  rent  in  twain,  that  I 
might  enter  into  the  holiest.  Thou  art  the  mercy- 
seat,  the  throne  of  grace  to  which  I  am  to  come 
boldly,  with  a  true  heart,  and  in  the  full  assurance 
of  faith.  Through  Thee  I  have  access  with  bold¬ 
ness,  and  everything  in  Thee  assures  me  that  all 
that  might  have  repelled  or  discouraged  me  has 
been  removed.  The  greatness  of  my  sins  cannot 
shut  me  out,  for  Thy  blood  cleansetli  from  all  sin. 
The  distance  to  which  I  have  gone  from  God  need 
be  no  discouragement,  for  by  Thee  we  are  brought 
nigh.  Thou  art  the  Way,  and  the  Truth,  and  the 
Life.  Through  Thee,  I,  though  exceeding  sinful,  go 
in  to  God,  worship  in  His  holy  place,  and  have  com¬ 
munion  with  Himself.  I  hear  the  voice  from  the 


What  follows  this  Confession.  127 

rent  veil,  which  says,  "  Let  ns  draw  near/  and  I 
draw  near.  It  is  now  not  danger,  hut  safety,  to  go 
in.  My  guilt  is  not  in  entering,  hut  in  refusing  to 
enter ;  not  in  being  hold,  hut  in  refusing  to  he 
bold  ;  and  my  presumption  is  not  in  believing,  hut 
in  doubting ;  not  in  simply  crediting  the  word  of 
God,  and  the  record  which  He  has  given  of  His 
Son,  but  in  setting  aside  that  record,  and  making 
Him  a  liar. 

3.  I  see  in  Thee  the  Forgiveness  of  Sins. 

Forgiveness  !  That  was,  if  not  the  words,  at 
least  the  meaning,  of  the  first  promise  concerning 
Thee,  the  seed  of  the  woman.  "  Forgiving  iniquity, 
transgression,  and  sin/  was  Thy  name  of  old  to 
Israel,  and  it  is  so  still  to  us.  Thou  hast  come  to 
earth  as  the  Christ,  with  forgiveness  in  Thy  hand  ; 
forgiveness  from  the  Father;  forgiveness,  free  as  the 
sunshine  which  Thou  daily  makest  to  arise  upon 
us ;  forgiveness,  without  a  grudge,  or  price,  or  re¬ 
servation.  I  hear  the  cry  from  the  cross,  "Father, 
forgive  them  and  from  that  I  learn  Thine  errand 
to  us.  I  mark  Thy  words  to  the  guilty  woman, 

‘  Neither  do  I  condemn  thee/  and  from  them  I 


128 


The  Christ  of  God. 


understand  Thy  pardoning  grace.  Thou  cleansest 
from  all  unrighteousness,  and  turnest  the  scarlet 
into  snow,  the  crimson  into  wool.  Through  Thee 
is  preached  unto  us  the  forgiveness  of  sins ! 
Through  Thee  there  is  no  condemnation  for  us, 
so  that  we  can  take  up  the  apostle’s  challenge 
joyfully,  and  say,  ‘  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  ’ 


4.  I  see  in  Thee  my  Justification. 

In  Thee  I  am  more  than  pardoned ;  I  am  justi¬ 
fied  freely  by  Thy  blood.  I  am  partaker  of  a  divine 
righteousness,  so  that  all  my  imperfection  vanishes, 
and  becomes  invisible  in  the  glory  of  Thy  perfec¬ 
tion.  In  Thee,  the  Christ  of  God,  I  find  not  merely 
the  Just  One  taking  the  place  of  the  unjust,  that 
the  penalty  might  be  remitted,  and  the  wrath 
removed ;  but  I  find  the  Just  so  substituting  Him¬ 
self  for  the  unjust,  that  the  unjust  rises  to  the 
judicial  level  of  the  Just,  and  is  dealt  with  by 
God  as  if  he  were  the  Just  One,  possessing  the 
excellence  of  His  righteousness,  and  standing  before 
God  in  His  divine  beauty.  This  is  the  fulness  of 
that  justification  which  we  receive  from  Thee  when 
we  believe  in  Thee,  consenting  to  take  Thee  as  our 


What  follows  this  Confession.  129 

substitute,  and  to  be  received  by  God  according  to 
the  merits  of  Tliee,  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God.  0  Christ,  I  take  Thee  as  my  righteousness, 
my  justification,  my  perfection,  and  gladly  give  up 
every  claim  of  my  own,  hiding  myself  beneath  Thy 
robe,  and  being  ‘  found  in  Thee/  ‘  complete  in  Thee/ 
‘  accepted  in  the  Beloved.’ 

5.  I  see  in  Thee  my  Life  Eternal. 

I  take  Thee  as  my  life,  for  I  am  all  death  ;  and 
the  life  which  I  find  in  Thee  is  everlasting  life . 
Because  Thou  livest,  I  live,  and  shall  live.  Life 
eternal !  That  is  what  I  need  ;  and  of  Thee,  0 
Christ,  I  find  it  written,  '  This  is  the  true  God, 
and  eternal  life  ’  (1  John  v.  20) ;  nay,  I  find  it  also 
written,  ‘  This  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to 
us  eternal  life;  and  this  life  is  in  His  Son.  He 
that  hath  the  Son  hath  life ;  he  that  hath  not 
the  Son  of  God  hath  not  life  ’  (1  John  v.  11,  13). 
Again  and  again  didst  Thou  speak  of  the  life  that 
is  in  Thee,  and  of  that  life  as  presented  to  us,  that 
we  might  have  it, — have  it  in  receiving  the  Father’s 
testimony  to  Thee.  We  have  heard  Thy  voice, 

telling  us  of  this  life,  and  all  its  blessedness ; 

I 


130 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


putting  to  our  lips  the  vessel  containing  it,  that 
we  might  know  both  Thy  love  and  the  nearness  of 
the  proffered  gift.  We  take  the  gift,  so  earnestly 
and  so  sincerely  pressed  upon  us  ;  and  as  those  whose 
portion  was  death,  we  accept  the  blessed  exchange, 
and  enter  into  life  through  Thee,  the  living  One,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God.  Thou  art  the  tree  of  life ; 
and  under  Thy  shadow  I  sit  down  to  eat  Thy 
pleasant  fruit.  Thou  art  the  bread  of  life ;  and 
on  Thee  would  I  daily  feed,  as  Israel  on  their 
morning  manna.  Thou  art  the  water  of  life ;  and 
of  Thee  would  I  drink  every  hour  and  moment, 
that  I  may  thirst  no  more,  and  yet  thirst  for 
ever  1 


6.  I  see  in  Thee  my  Peace. 

Thou  art  the  Peacemaker.  Yea,  Thou  art  the 
Peace :  as  it  is  written,  He  hath  made  peace  by  the 
blood  of  His  cross  ;  He  is  our  peace ;  and  Thy  name 
is  the  *  Son  of  peace  *  (Luke  x.  6),  the  ‘  Lord  of 
peace  ’  (2  Tim.  iii.  1 6),  the  ‘  Prince  of  peace  ’  (Isa. 
ix.  6).  There  was  distance  between  God  and  me, 
there  was  variance,  nay,  enmity;  hut  Thou  hast 
removed  these,  and  the  quarrel  is  at  an  end  for  ever. 


What  follows  this  Confession.  131 

Thy  blood  speaketh,  peace  to  me,  and  it  keeps  my 
soul  in  peace.  When  sin  comes  in,  and  threatens 
to  break  it  up,  I  betake  myself  to  Thee.  I  go  back 
to  the  place  where  I  found  it  at  firsthand  I  find  it 
there  again.  The  cross  stands  immoveable.  The 
value  of  the  blood  never  changes :  it  is  always  able 
to  do  the  same  thing  for  us  to  the  end  that  it  did 
at  first ;  and  to  those  who  accept  God’s  testimony 
to  that  blood,  all  its  value  belongs,  unfailing  and 
unchangeable.  The  value  of  that  blood  is  my  secu¬ 
rity  for  abiding  peace.  Were  its.  value  less  than 
divine,  my  peace  would  be  both  imperfect  and 
insecure.  To-day  it  might  be  peace,  to-morrow 
disquietude  and  doubt ;  to-day  nearness,  to-morrow 
distance.  But  the  value  of  the  blood  is  infinite, 
and  avails  for  ever  for  all  who  stand  not  aloof  from 
it,  or  undervalue  its  efficacy.  Our  peace-offering 
has  been  offered  once  for  all,. and  its  efficacy  is  ever¬ 
lasting,  We  have  not  to  present  a  new  peace¬ 
offering  for  ourselves  of  any  kind  whatever, — the 
peace-offering  of  our  prayers,  or  tears,  or  repentances, 
or  almsdeeds,.  or  fervent  feelings,  or  attractive  rites. 
Thou,  0  Christ,  art  our  one  peace-offering;  and  we 
take  Thee  as  such,  not  trying  to  make  again  a  peace 
already  made,  but  satisfied  with  Thee  as  all  we  need 


132 


The  Christ  of  God. 


for  the  maintaining  of  that  peace  which  can  only 
rest  upon  reconciling  blood. 

7.  I  see  in  Thee  my  Health. 

1  Thou  hast  healed  me/  were  the  words  of  an  Old 
Testament  saint ;  and  again  we  have  other  words 
like  them,  ‘  He  healeth  all  thy  diseases’  (Ps.  ciii.  3). 
The  first  Adam  was  the  destroyer  of  our  health,  the 
last  Adam  is  the  restorer  of  it.  As  healer  both  of 
body  and  soul,  Thou  didst  show  Thyself  when  here, 
0  Christ  of  God,  ever  healing,  ever  soothing,  ever 
comforting; — ever  administering  Thy  balm  of  Gilead  ! 
True  healer  of  the  soul  !  True  strengthener  of  the 
weak  !  True  physician  of  the  sick  !  True  light  of 
the  sick-room,  and  companion  of  the  sick-bed  !  Thy 
fellowship  is  healing.  Thy  words  are  healing.  Thy 
touch  is  healing.  Thy  love  is  healing.  Long  ere 
Thou  earnest  to  earth,  Thy  people  knew  of  Thy 
healing  skill  and  power.  Often  didst  Thou  heal 
Thy  Israel,  in  Thy  great  love  and  pity ;  and  when 
healing  the  bitter  waters  of  Marah,  Thou  didst 
proclaim  Thyself  the  healer  of  Israel :  *  I  am  Jeho¬ 
vah  that  healeth  thee’  (Ex.  xv.  26).  0  health  of 

the  soul,  show  Thyself  to  me  in  all  Thy  fulness; 


Wliat  follows  this  Confession.  133 

heal  me  more  and  more.  Heal  my  understanding, 

% 

heal  my  conscience,  heal  my  heart.  Let  that  he 
true  of  me  which  was  written  concerning  Thy  heal¬ 
ing  wonders  of  old,  f  As  many  as  touched  Him  were 
made  perfectly  whole.’  I  am  as  yet  hut  very 
imperfectly  recovered  ;  slowly,  slowly  am  I  return¬ 
ing  to  spiritual  health.  Oh,  hasten  the  desired  end, 
intensify  Thy  medicines,  put  more  vigour  into  Thy 
touch,  make  my  recovery  more  rapid,  perfect  that 
which  concerneth  me :  oh,  heal  me,  and  I  shall  he 
healed  ! 

8.  I  see  in  Thee  my  Wisdom. 

Thou,  0  Christ  of  God,  art  the  wisdom  of  God ; 
and  I  am  wise  in  Thee.  Thy  hidden  treasures  are 
all  open  to  me,  and  I  am  welcome  to  search  every 
chamber  of  Thy  storehouse,  and  to  appropriate  all 
that  is  there.  ‘  The  world  hy  wisdom  knew  not 
God  ’  (1  Cor.  i.  21) ;  hut  by  Thy  wisdom  I  am  made 
acquainted  with  God.  I  say,  Show  me  the  Father, 
and  Thou  showest  Him  to  me.  I  lack  wisdom,  and 
I  ask  of  Thee ;  and  Thou  givest  liberally,  and  up- 
hraidest  not.  All  wisdom  is  in  Thee,  and  I  may 
have  it  all.  Thou  teachest,  and  Thou  art  also  the 


134 


The  Christ  of  God. 


lesson  taught.  I  have  come  into  Thy  school,  for 
the  door  was  open ;  I  have  sat  down  there  upon  its 
benches  as  a  scholar,  and  Thou  didst  not  frown  upon 
me.  Oh,  then,  teach  me,  teach  me  !  I  am  weary 
of  other  teachers.  They  profit  nothing.  They 
cannot  reach  the  recesses  of  my  dull  and  unteach- 
able  heart.  They  are  impatient,  and  will  take  no 
pains  with  my  ignorance  and  stupidity.  They  do 
not  love  me,  even  when  they  instruct  me.  But  Thou 
art  different.  Thou  teachest  the  inner  man.  Thou 
art  always  pitiful  and  loving,  never  impatient  be¬ 
cause  of  my  ignorance,  nor  fretted  at  my  froward- 
ness.  Thou  takest  such  pains  with  me,  day  by  day, 
as  if  I  were  Thy  only  scholar.  0  teach  me  more 
and  more  ! 


9.  I  see  in  Thee  my  Captain. 

Thou  leadest  me  on  to  victory ;  for  Thy  name  is 
Captain  of  Jehovah’s  hosts.  I  will  follow  whither 
Thou  leadest.  ‘  Be  of  good  cheer,  I  have  overcome 
the  world/  is  the  watchword  which  Thou  givest  us. 
And  Thou  goest  before  us  to  the  battle-field,  and 
marshallest  all  our  array.  Thou  givest  us  the 
whole  armour  of  God, — the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  the 


What  follows  this  Confession.  135 

helmet  of  salvation,  the  girdle  of  truth,  the  breast¬ 
plate  of  righteousness,  the  shield  of  faith  :  for  every 
soldier  in  Thy  host  is  well  armed  and  disciplined, 
able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and  having  done 
all,  to  stand.  My  foes  are  many  and  fierce ;  I  have 
no  strength  against  them ;  no  skill  with  which  to 
cope  with  their  skill  and  stratagem.  Captain  of 
Jehovah’s  host,  lead  me  on  to  victory.  The  pro¬ 
mises  are  to  him  that  overcometh ;  oh,  help  me  to 
fight  and  overcome,  that  I  may  wrin  the  prize.  En¬ 
able  me  to  war  the  good  warfare,  to  fight  the  good 
fight  of  faith.  There  are  fightings  without,  and 
fears  within  ;  but  lead  me  on.  The  principalities 
and  powers  of  hell  come  against  me,  the  rulers  of 
the  darkness  of  this  world ;  but  Thou  art  mightier 
than  they:  make  them  to  flee  before  me.  I  wmuld 
choose  no  other  commander ;  I  put  myself  at  Thy 
disposal ;  order  the  array  for  me,  and  make  me 
more  than  conqueror  through  Him  that  loved  me. 

10.  I  see  in  Tliee  Him  whom  I  must  love. 

The  Christ  of  God  is  the  infinitely  lovable  one  ; 
the  chief  among  ten  thousand.  All  beauty,  all 
perfection,  all  excellence,  are  in  Thee,  0  Christ. 


136  . 


The  Christ  of  God. 


There  is  none  like  Thee  among  the  sons  of  men  ; 
neither  is  there  any  love  like  Thy  love.  Thou  art 
He  whom  the  Father  loveth,  and  He  whom  the 
Father  loveth  must  be  worthy  of  my  love.  Thou 
lovest  us,  and  shall  we  not  love  Thee  ?  Thou 
gavest  Thy  life  for  us,  and  shall  we  not  love  Thee  ? 
Thou  didst  rise  from  the  dead  for  us,  and  shall  we 
not  love  Thee  ?  Altogether  lovely  art  Thou ;  and 
we  give  Thee  our  love,  as  the  only  one  worthy  of  it. 
There  is  nothing  in  Thee  but  what  is  attractive ;  all 
that  Thou  hast  said  and  done  is  fitted  to  command 
our  love.  Help  me  to  love  Thee ;  to  love  Thee 
perfectly  ;  to  love  Thee  more  and  more ;  to  requite 
Thy  love  with  mine,  and  to  show  my  love  to  Thee 
by  the  devotedness  of  my  daily  life.  If  I  love 
Thee  not,  all  is  wrong  with  me.  Oh,  set  me  right, 
and  shed  abroad  Thy  love  in  my  heart,  that  I  may 
render  Thee  my  best  and  warmest  affections.  Thou 
askest  me  the  threefold  question  once  asked  of  a 
denying  disciple,  f  Lovest  thou  me  ?  ’  oh,  teach  me  to 
answer  with  the  same  confidence  as  he  did,  even 
in  the  full  remembrance  of  his  sad  denial :  *  Yea, 
Lord,  Thou  knowest  all  things,  Thou  knowest  that 
I  love  Thee.’ 


What  follows  this  Confession. 


137 


11.  I  see  in  Thee  one  whom  I  can  trust. 

What  I  have  heard  and  known  of  Thee,  0  Christ 
of  God,  makes  me  feel  that  Thou  art  infinitely 
trustworthy.  I  can  trust  Thine  arm,  for  it  is  strong. 
I  can  trust  Thy  guidance,  for  it  is  sure.  I  can  trust 
Thy  guardianship,  for  it  is  almighty.  I  can  trust 
Thy  light,  for  it  is  the  light  of  heaven.  I  can  trust 
Thy  rod  and  staff,  for  they  lead  and  guide  aright. 
I  can  trust  Thy  shade  in  the  day  of  heat,  for  it  is 
the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land.  I 
can  trust  Thy  patience,  for  it  is  perfect.  I  can 
trust  Thy  words,  for  they  are  true  and  faithful.  I 
can  trust  Thy  love,  for  it  passeth  knowledge.  Oh, 
help  me  to  trust  Thee  more  !  Why  should  a  sus¬ 
picion  ever  cross  me  ?  Why  should  any  distrust 
ever  find  its  way  into  my  soul  ?  Why  should  I 
not  know  at  all  times  what  is  confidence  in  Thee, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God,  the  lover  of  the  lost,  the 
helper  of  the  helpless,  the  healer  of  the  sick,  the 
succourer  of  the  poor,  the  uplifter  of  the  fallen,  the 
rest  of  the  weary  ?  Let  Thy  perfect  love  cast  out 
fear,  for  fear  hath  torment ;  and  lie  that  feareth  does 
not  comprehend  this  perfect  love  of  Thine.  Let  me 
hear  the  gracious  words  ever  sounding  in  my  ears : 


138 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  for  ever,  for  in  the  Lord 
Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength.  I  will  trust,  and 
not  he  afraid. 

12.  I  see  in  Thee  One  whom  I  must  worship. 

Thy  name  is  Jehovah,  and  Thou  art  God  over 
all,  blessed  for  ever.  Thou  wert  f  in  the  beginning/ 
Thou  wert  with  God,  and  Thou  wert  God.  All 
things  were  made  by  Thee,  and  without  Thee  was 
not  anything  made  that  was  made.  Thou  .art  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.  Shall  I  not 
worship  and  bow  down  before  Thee  ?  Shall  I  not 
praise  Thee,  —  not  as  one  man  praises  another, 
but  as  they  praise  Jehovah  wdio  worship  in  His 
temple,  crying,  Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Al¬ 
mighty,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  Thy  glory  l 
Thy  name  is  above  every  name  in  heaven  and 
earth,  and  the  glory  of  the  universe  is  Thine.  0 
Lord,  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is  Thy  name  in 
all  the  earth !  Hot  less  than  God  art  Thou, 
therefore  I  praise  Thee.  Immanuel,  the  Word 
made  flesh,  Son  of  God,  and  Son  of  man,  I  wor¬ 
ship  Thee.  Light  of  the  world,  Light  of  life,  Prince 
of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  King  of  nations.  King  of 


What  follovjs  this  Confession. 


139 


kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  I  worship  Thee !  The 
heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  Thy  glory,  and 
all  creation  sends  up  to  Thee  its  everlasting  song. 
I  join  my  voice  with  them  in  adoration,  and  extol 
Thee  both  as  Creator  and  Redeemer ;  for  in  Thee  I 
see  Him  who  made  all  things  by  the  word  of  His 
power,  and  Him  who  redeemed  ns  to  God  by  His 
blood.  I  sing,  ‘Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain 
to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing.  .  .  . 
Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power  to  Him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb 
for  ever  and  ever.’ 


13.  I  see  in  Thee  Him  to  whom  I  must 
consecrate  myself. 

Thou  art  worthy  of  myself,  and  of  my  all. 
There  is  none  like  Thee  in  heaven  or  in  earth. 
Even  hadst  Thou  not  loved  me,  nor  done  ought 
for  me,  Thy  excellency  is  enough  to  lead  to  the 
consecration  of  myself,  and  of  everything  which 
I  possess,  to  Thee.  But  Thou  hast  loved  me,  and 
therefore  I  give  myself  to  Thee.  Thou  hast  loved 
me  with  an  immeasurable  love,  and  therefore  Thou 


140 


The  Christ  of  God. 


must  have  my  complete  self, — spirit,  soul,  and 
body.  Thou  hast  given  Thyself  to  me,  and  I  give 
myself  to  Thee.  Thou  hast  been  horn  for  me,  Thou 
hast  lived  for  me,  Thou  hast  died  for  me ;  and 
I  devote  my  whole  self  perfectly  to  Thee,  that  I 
may  serve  Thee,  obey  Thee,  follow  Thee,  delight 
in  Thee.  I  would  keep  back  nothing  from  Him 
who  bought  me  with  such  a  price,  and  washed 
me  in  blood  so  precious.  I  give  my  strength  to 
Thee ;  my  powers  and  faculties ;  my  time  and 
health ;  my  gold  and  silver ;  my  life  and  my 
death, — all  I  have  and  own  I  give  to  Thee,  0 
Christ,  Son  of  God,  and  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth. 
Uproot  selfishness,  and  self-seeking,  and  self-glory- 
ing.  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  Thy 
cross,  and  that  I  should  make  the  object  of  my 
life  anything  save  what  in  some  way  or  measure 
bears  upon  Thy  honour  and  subserves  Thy  cause. 
Draw  me,  and  I  will  run  after  Thee.  Make  me 
wholly  Thine,  in  every  part  of  my  being.  Life 
is  not  life,  if  Thou  art  not  its  beginning  and  its 
end  ;  nor  is  there  any  joy  of  earth  which  I  ought 
to  separate  from  Thee.  It  is  not,  what  will  man 
say  of  me  ?  that  I  must  ask  myself,  but,  what  will 
Christ  say  ? — not,  how  will  this  bear  upon  my 


What  follows  this  Confession.  141 

own  wealth,  or  influence,  or  honour  ?  hut,  how  will 
it  bear  upon  the  cause,  the  work,  the  glory  of 
Him  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve  ?  Be  Thou 
all,  in  everything,  small  and  great,  private  or 
public.  Fill  up  my  days  and  nights  with  Thy¬ 
self,  that  no  part  of  my  time  may  he  without 
Thee.  In  the  closet,  in  the  family,  in  the  street, 
in  the  place  of  business,  in  solitude,  in  company, 
he  Thou  ever  with  me,  and  in  me.  In  my  joys 
and  in  my  sorrows,  in  my  gains  and  losses,  in  my 
health  and  in  my  sickness,  in  my  silence  and  in 
my  speech,  in  my  journeying  or  in  my  resting, 
in  my  plans,  my  perplexities,  my  conflicts,  my 
frets  and  troubles,  my  disappointments  and  vexa¬ 
tions,  my  waiting  and  weariness,  my  riches  and 
poverty, — in  all  these,  he  Thou  with  me,  and  I 
with  Thee ;  so  consecrated  to  Thee,  that  I  shall 
feel  every  fragment  of  my  life  and  every  change 
of  my  lot  a  new  opportunity  for  developing  that 
consecration  which  I  owe  Thee,  and  which  will 
give  to  me,  not  bondage  and  irksomeness,  but 
liberty  and  gladness.  0  Christ,  help  me  more 
and  more  to  take  up  my  cross,  to  deny  myself, 
and  to  follow  Thee ;  to  present  my  body  a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God  and  unto  Thee, 


142 


The  Christ  of  God. 


walking  in  Thy  steps  and  shining  in  Thy  light, 
and  hearing  every  burden  which  Thy  love  may 
lay  upon  me. 


Set  me  as  a  seal  upon  Thine  heart, 

As  a  seal  upon  Thine  arm  ; 

For  love  is  stronger  than  death, 

Jealousy  is  cruel  as  the  grave  : 

The  coals  thereof  are  coals  of  fire, 

A  most  vehement  flame. 

Let  Him  kiss  me  with  the  kisses  of  Thy  mouth, 
For  Thy  love  is  better  than  wine. 


14.  /  see  in  Thee  Him  for  whom  I  must  watch. 

Thou  art  absent,  and  I  will  remember  Thee ; 
I  will  think  upon  Thee,  even  as  Thou  rememberest 
me,  and  thinkest  upon  me.  For  absence  makes 
no  difference  in  love.  It  but  whets  the  appetite. 
I  cannot  forget  what  Thou  wert,  when  here  in 
Thy  lowliness  and  sorrow.  I  cannot  cease  to 
meditate  on  what  Thou  art  now  in  Thy  exalta¬ 
tion.  Teach  me  the  meaning  of  these  words : 
f  Whom  having  not  seen  we  love ;  and  in  whom, 
though  now  we  see  Him  not,  yet  believing,  we 
rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory/ 
But  this  is  not  all.  We  are  not  content  with 
absence.  We  wish  to  see  Thy  face,  to  hear  Thy 


Wlicct  follows  this  Confession.  143 

voice,  and  to  have  fellowship  such  as  Thy  dis¬ 
ciples  had  when  Thou  wert  with  them, — such  as 
Moses  and  Elias  had  upon  the  mount  of  trans¬ 
figuration.  And  Thou  hast  promised  that  it  shall 
be  so.  Thou  wilt  not  be  always  absent.  Thou 
hast  promised  to  come  again  for  us,  and  be  with 
us  for  ever.  Thou  hast  not  revealed  the  day  or 
hour,  so  that  we  know  not  when  we  may  expect 
Thee.  But  we  love  Thee,  and  we  will  watch. 
We  long  to  see  Thee,  and  we  will  watch.  We 
are  weary  of  absence,  and  we  will  watch.  The 
world  is  getting  darker  and  sadder,  and  we  will 
watch.  Thou  hast  bidden  us,  and  we  will  watch. 
It  is  long,  long  since  Thou  didst  warn  us  to  trim 
our  lamps,  and  we  will  watch.  The  night  may 
be  nearer  its  end  than  many  think,  and  we  will 
watch.  The  world  has  forgotten  Thee,  and  is 
occupied  with  its  commerce  and  science,  saying, 
These  are  thy  gods,  0  men ;  therefore  we  will 
watch.  The  first  resurrection  may  be  nearer  than 
we  think,  and  we  will  watch.  We  hear  Thy  voice, 
‘  He  which  testifieth  these  things  saith,  Surely  I 
come  quickly ;  ’  and  we  reply,  Amen.  Even  so 
come,  Lord  Jesus. 


144 


The  Christ  of  God. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


GOD  S  MIGHTY  WORK  IN  AND  THROUGH 

THE  CHURCH. 

'  rjiiiAT  God  may  be  all  in  all’  is  the  basis  of 


all  apostolic  doctrine,  from  which  it  sets 
out,  and  into  which  it  returns,  and  round  which  it 
revolves.  ‘  Of  Him,  and  through  Him,  and  to  Him, 
are  all  things,’  is  the  refrain  of  the  apostle’s  songs  ; 
a  refrain  which  the  whole  early  Church  took  up  and 
sung  with  so  loud  a  harmony,  that  the  sound  went 
over  earth,  and  pagan  nations  awoke,  startled  at  the 
name  of  the  one  living  and  true  God,  King  eternal, 
immortal,  and  invisible,  the  only  wise  God,  so  dif¬ 
ferent  from  their  Jupiter,  their  Mercury,  and  other 
such  false  and  unclean  gods.  The  burden  of  these 
doxologies  is :  Glory  to  that  eternal  Jehovah  who 
worketli  all  in  all,  who  filletli  all  in  all. 

God  is  the  doer  as  well  as  the  jpurposer  of 
everything  connected  with  the  Christ,  and  of  every- 


God's  mighty  Work  in  and  through  the  Church.  145 

tiling  relating  to  the  redeemed  and  their  connection 
with  the  Christ,  who  is  the  centre  of  all  His  pur¬ 
poses  and  desires.  The  Church  is  His  creation. 
Each  saint  is  His  creation.  There  is  no  religion  in 
a  man  save  that  which  originates  with  Him,  and  is 
consummated  by  Him.  Eeligion  that  is  self-made, 
consisting  of  doctrines,  feelings,  rites,  self-taught  and 
self- wrought,  is  no  better  than  ancient  paganism. 
‘  We  are  His  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained 
that  we  should  walk  in  them’  (Eph.  ii.  10) :  that  is, 
we  are  His  workmanship,  not  our  own  (ver.  8);  nay, 
we  are  His  f  creation,’ 1  nay,  His  creation  in  and  by 
Christ  Jesus ;  and  all  this  for  *  good  works,’  for 
which  God  had  made  all  this  vast  preparation,  Ghat 
we  should  walk  in  them.’ 

Thus  God  is  in  Christ  purposing  concerning  us  ; 
for  Christ  and  the  redeemed  are  inseparable  in  the 
eternal  purpose  of  the  Father.  That  purpose  em¬ 
braces  both,  and  embodies  the  mutual  relationship 
of  the  one  to  the  other.  It  contemplates  also,  and 
makes  preparation  for,  the  holiness  of  each  re- 


1  The  words  ‘  creation  ’  and  ‘  workmanship  ’  remind  ns  of  the 
expressions  used  in  reference  to  the  first  creation,  ‘  His  work  which 
God  created  and  made  ’  (Gen.  ii.  3). 

K 


146 


The  Christ  of  God. 


deemed  one,  as  well  as  for  the  perfection  of  the 
whole  Church  of  God ;  as  it  is  written,  f  Who  hath 
saved  us,  and  called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  not 
according  to  our  works,  hut  according  to  His  own 
purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ 
Jesus  before  the  world  began,  but  is  now  made 
manifest  by  the  appearing  of  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ’  (2  Tim.  i.  9,  10). 

Thus  God  is  in  Christ  working  concerning  us ;  for 
all  His  operations  for  us  and  in  us  are  in  connection 
with  the  Christ.  From  the  first  touch  of  His  hand, 
when  He  arrests  us  in  our  folly,  to  the  last,  when 
He  finishes  the  glorious  work  in  the  resurrection  of 
our  bodies,  all  His  doings  concerning  us  are  'in 
Christ.’  ‘  He  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ,’ 
is  as  true  of  the  new  creation  as  of  the  old.  He 
is  the  former  of  all  things,  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is 
His  name.  Each  hour  bears  witness  to  the  unceas¬ 
ing  and  unwearied  touches  of  His  hand  in  moulding 
us  anew  after  His  own  image.  And  all  this  is  the 
working  and  the  purposing  of  ‘  love,’ — the  love  of 
God  which  is  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  And  all 
this  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  His  grace,  that 
God  may  be  all  in  all. 

Thus  God  is  in  Christ  reconciling  us  to  Himself ; 


God's  mighty  Work  in  and  through  the  Church.  14  7 

for  the  reconciliation  conies  through  this  living 
channel,  and  this  only.  God  approaches  us  in 
Christ,  lays  hold  on  us  in  Christ,  looks  at  us  in 
Christ,  makes  proposals  to  us  in  Christ,  links  us  to 
Himself  in  Christ.  c  You  hath  He  reconciled  in  the 
body  of  His  flesh  through  death’  (Col.  i.  22).  The 
reconciliation  of  the  covenant  is  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord.  Save  in  Him,  there  is  no  nearness,  no  favour, 
no  friendship,  no  fellowship.  The  one  Mediator 
is  the  one  reconciler,  through  whom  God  says  to 
us,  ‘  Come  unto  me ;  ’  and  as  there  is  but  one 
mediation,  so  there  is  but  one  atonement,  one  propi¬ 
tiation,  one  reconciliation ;  one  cross,  one  blood,  one 
death,  one  burial,  one  resurrection.  For  in  each 
of  these  Christ  is  all.  ‘  He  of  God  is  made  unto  us 
wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and 
redemption.’ 

Thus  God  is  in  Christ,  not  imputing  unto  us  our 
trespasses ;  for  the  forgiveness  of  all  sin  comes 
through  Him,  ‘  in  whom  we  have  redemption 
through  His  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
according  to  the  riches  of  His  grace’  (Col.  i.  14). 
The  non-imyutation  of  sin  takes  for  granted  its 
existence.  It  exists,  but  it  is  not  imputed  to  us, 
because  it  has  been  righteously  imputed  to  another ; 


148 


The  Christ  of  God . 


and  that  vicarious  imputation  has  been  accepted  by 
the  Judge,  and  is  presented  to  us,  that  we,  accepting 
it,  may  have  all  the  fulness  of  the  non -imputation 
or  no-condemnation  made  over  to  us.  We  acknow¬ 
ledge  the  sin,  hut  we  recognise  the  substitute  taking 
our  sin  that  we  might  take  the  pardon  ;  we  see  the 
Father  reckoning  the  sin  to  the  sin-hearer,  that  it 
might  not  be  reckoned  to  us. 

Thus  God  is  quickening  us  ;  for  it  is  written, f  God, 
who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith 
He  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ  ’  (Eph.  ii.  4)  ;  and 
as  He  quickeneth  us  now  with  Him,  so  hereafter 
He  will  raise  us  up  with  Him,  in  the  day  of  which 
He  speaks,  f  My  dead  body  shall  they  arise  ’  (Isa. 
xxvi.  19).  The  life  of  Christ  becomes  our  life, 
flows  into  us,  flows  through  us,  imparting  to  both 
soul  and  body  the  spiritual  energy,  or  ‘  everlasting 
life/  contained  in  Him  as  the  one  fountainhead, 
communicating  both  the  present  and  eternal  vitality, 
which,  beginning  in  the  new  birth  here,  is  to  he 
consummated  in  the  glories  of  the  first  resurrection, 
at  His  second  coming.  Eor  it  is  one  life,  and  one 
life-giver,  and  one  fountain  of  life,  from  first  to 
last. 


God's  mighty  Work  in  and  through  the  Church.  149 

Thus  God  is  enlightening  us;  for  it  is  by  our  con¬ 
nection  with  Him  who  is  the  Light  of  the  world 
that  we  are  enlightened.  f  In  Him  was  life,  and 
the  life  was  the  light  of  men  ’  (John  i.  4) ;  and 
it  is  the  light  proceeding  from  Him  which  reveals 
God  to  us,  and  makes  us  light  in  the  Lord.  That 
which  alone  is  light  to  us  is  ‘  the  light  of  the  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ.’  As  of  the  Hew  Jerusalem  hereafter,  so  of 
the  Church  now,  and  so  of  each  believing  soul,  ‘  the 
Lamb  is  the  light  thereof ;  ’  and  the  light  of  the 
Lamb  is  the  light  of  the  cross.  The  cross  is 
our  lamp.  All  is  darkness  to  which  the  illumi¬ 
nation  of  the  cross  does  not  extend.  Light  for 
the  human  spirit  !  Light  for  the  gloom  of  earth ! 
Light  for  the  Church  of  God !  All  these  are  to 
be  found  in  the  cross  of  Him  whom  God  hath 
set  forth  as  a  ‘  propitiation,  through  faith  in  His 
blood :  ’  for  without  the  propitiation  of  the  blood, 
light  cannot  come  to  the  sinner.  Heaven  may  not 
need  that  light,  but  earth  does.  It  is  through  the 
blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant  that  the  light 
streams  into  the  soul ;  and  it  is  thus  that  it  is  to 
stream  into  the  Hew  Jerusalem  (Rev.  xxi.  23),  filling 
it  with  redemption-light  for  ever.  4 1  am  the  Light 


150 


The  Christ  of  God. 


of  the  world/  is  the  bright  message  that  is  going 
through  earth  just  now,  in  the  day  of  her  darkness ; 
and  it  is  this  that  is  to  be  perpetuated  for  ever  in  the 
peculiar  glory  of  the  celestial  city,- — a  city  which, 
though  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  is 
yet  to  have  for  its  citizens,  not  angels,  but  men 
who  have  been  redeemed  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ. 

Thus  God  is  strengthening  us.  Our  helplessness 
and  the  divine  power  meet  together,  and  find  how 
entirely  suitable  they  are,  each  to  the  other.  We 
need  divine  strength ;  for  the  weakness  introduced 
into  the  human  soul  by  sin  is  great.  The  divine 
strength  needs  weakness  such  as  ours  on  which  to 
show  itself ;  for  in  no  case  save  this  can  it  find 
occasion  for  coming  forth  in  all  its  fulness.  God’s 
purpose, — both  to  manifest  Himself  and  to  deliver 
us, — was  to  make  us  absolutely  dependent  on  His 
power  in  every  region  of  our  being,  and  in  every 
part  of  that  mysterious  process  of  our  restoration 
to  His  image.  Therefore  He  strengthens  us  with 
might  by  His  Spirit  in  the  inner  man.  He  makes 
us  ‘  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  His 
might teaching  us  to  ‘  glory  in  our  infirmities, 
that  the  peace  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  us.’  There 


GocVs  mighty  Work  in  and  through  the  Church.  151 


is  strength  enough  in  Him  for  us.  Every  day  we 
need  its  fulness  ;  every  hour  we  are  welcome  to 
it  in  all  its  magnitude. 

Thus  God  is  comforting  us.  In  the  everlasting 
covenant,  the  Church  is  recognised  as  passing  through 
much  tribulation ;  as  being  in  deep  waters  and  in 
burning  fires : 

i  The  path  of  sorrow,  and  that  path  alone, 

Leads  to  the  land  where  sorrow  is  unknown  ; 

No  traveller  ever  reached  that  blest  abode, 

Who  found  not  thorns  and  briars  in  his  road. 

For  He  who  knew  what  human  hearts  would  prove, 

How  slow  to  learn  the  dictates  of  His  love  ; 

That,  hard  by  nature,  and  of  stubborn  will, 

A  life  of  ease  would  make  them  harder  still  ; 

In  pity  to  the  souls  His  grace  designed 
To  rescue  from  the  ruins  of  mankind, 

Called  for  a  cloud  to  darken  all  their  years, 

And  said,  Go  spend  them  in  the  vale  of  tears. 

Such  was  the  purpose  of  God  both  concerning 
the  discipline  and  the  deliverance,  the  road  through 
which  His  saints  were  to  pass  to  the  kingdom,  and 
the  consolation  as  well  as  companionship  which  they 
were  to  have  upon  that  way.  The  Christ  was  made 
‘  perfect  through  sufferings  ;  ’  and  so  is  the  Church. 
Therefore  is  consolation  needed ;  otherwise  the  way 
would  be  too  sad,  and  the  discipline  too  heavy. 
And  a  Comforter  is  also  needed ;  that  Comforter, 
the  promise  of  the  Father,  sent  down  by  Christ 


152 


The  Christ  of  God. 


to  sustain  us  in  tlie  day  of  His  absence.  He  who 
purposed  all  things  from  the  beginning,  and  now 
worketh  all  things  according  to  that  purpose,  suits 
the  discipline  to  the  case,  and  suits  the  consolation 
to  the  discipline.  He  comforteth  us  in  all  our 
tribulation  ;  nay,  He  makes  us  to  glory  in  tribu¬ 
lation  :  for  this  is  the  road  by  which  all  the  former 
saints  went  to  the  kingdom ;  the  way  by  which  all 
are  going  now ;  the  way  by  which  the  Master  went 
during  His  sojourn  here. 

Thus  God  is  'purifying  us.  The  furnace  was 
provided  in  the  eternal  purpose.  We  were  not 
in  a  moment  to  be  transferred  to  the  glory  above, 
as  soon  as  we  were  begotten  again  to  the  lively 
hope.  We  were  not  to  be  instantaneously  per¬ 
fected  and  purified,  so  that  sin  should  be  utterly 
expelled  from  us,  and  we  should  have  no  more 
need  of  the  blood ;  no  more  need  of  the  daily 
discipline.  God’s  purpose  was,  that  our  prepara¬ 
tion  should  be  by  a  process,  not  by  an  act :  that 
by  gradual  progress  we  should  be  the  occasion  for 
drawing  out  the  power  and  grace  of  God.  Instan¬ 
taneous  perfection  seems  to  some  more  glorifying 
to  God  than  gradual  improvement.  But  God  does 
not  think  so.  He  wants  to  show  us  what  sin  is, 


God’s  mighty  Work  in  and  through  the  Church.  153 

what  the  power  of  evil  is,  what  a  human  heart 
is,  what  the  blood  of  Christ  can  do,  what  the 
power  of  the  Spirit  can  do.  And  so  He  purifies 
us  gradually.  He  has  done  so  from  the  beginning; 
and  there  is  not  one  instance  in  Scripture  of  instan¬ 
taneous  perfection,  nay,  not  one  instance  of  perfec¬ 
tion  at  all.  The  law  of  the  kingdom  is  expressed 
in  the  following  prayer  of  the  apostle :  ‘  The  God 
of  all  grace,  who  hath  called  us  unto  His  eternal 
glory  by  Christ  Jesus,  after  that  ye  have 

SUFFERED  A  WHILE,  MAKE  YOU  PERFECT,  stablisll, 

strengthen,  settle  you’  (1  Pet.  v.  10). 

Thus  God  is  making  us  His  witnesses.  Ye  are 
my  witnesses,  He  says  to  us.  Witnesses  of  whom  ? 
Of  the  Christ  of  God.  We  testify  of  Him ;  we 
reflect  His  light;  we  radiate  His  glory.  We  are 
His  mirrors  here.  We  are  like  the  moon,  giving 
back  some  of  the  light  He  sheds  on  us ;  like  the 
sea,  shining  with  His  brightness  ;  like  the  moun¬ 
tains,  telling  of  His  greatness ;  like  the  wind, 
speaking  of  His  power;  like  the  flowers,  display¬ 
ing  His  beauty ;  like  the  blue  arch,  proclaiming 
His  vastness ;  like  the  sands,  symbolizing  the  years 
of  His  eternity ;  like  the  rainbow,  unfolding  His 
varied  perfections ;  like  the  rivers,  reminding  men 


154 


The  Christ  of  Cod . 


of  the  ceaseless  roll  of  His  providence  ;  like  the 
rain,  showing  His  refreshing  bounty ;  like  the 
harvest  field,  displaying  the  exuberant  fulness  of 
His  love. 

Thus  are  we  in  these  ways,  and  in  a  thousand 
more,  His  witnesses :  telling  out  all  His  glory,  and 
power,  and  holiness,  and  love.  Our  life  is  to  be 
one  continuous  witness  -  bearing  to  the  God  and 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  Christ 
Himself,  who,  when  He  left  this  earth,  left  us 
behind  Him  to  represent  Him  here.  Let  our  tes¬ 
timony  be  full ;  let  our  representation  be  worthy 
of  Him  whose  representatives  we  are. 

We  are  left  here  to  bear  witness  to  the  Christ 
of  God.  Let  us  see  that  we  do  it  well. 

The  world  needs  our  testimony,  for  it  knows 
Him  not,  neither  cares  to  know  Him.  Let  our 
lives  be  such  a  testimony  as  shall  win  the  very 
worst,  and  attract  the  most  distant  and  heedless. 
Let  that  testimony  be  full ;  let  it  be  consistent : 
for  who  can  tell  the  injury  that  has  been  done 
by  inconsistent  testimony, — by  the  lives  of  Chris¬ 
tians  who  wrere  far  more  like  the  world  that  they 
professed  to  have  forsaken,  than  the  Lord  to  whom 
they  had  j  oined  themselves  ? 


God’s  mighty  Work  in  and  through  the  Church.  155 

The  Church,  too,  needs  consistent  witness-hear¬ 
ing.  It  needs  to  he  lifted  np ;  and  who  is  to  lift 
it  np  ?  It  needs  to  he  more  completely  unworldly 
and  unearthly ;  and  who  shall  help  to  make  it 
such  ?  It  needs  to  he  roused  and  quickened ;  hut 
who  shall  rouse  and  quicken  it,  if  all  he  slumber¬ 
ing  and  sleeping  ?  It  needs  to  start  upon  a  new 
career  of  devotedness,  and  fervent  self-denial,  and 
holiness,  and  love ;  hut  who  is  to  begin  ? 


156 


The  Christ  of  Cod . 


CHAPTER  YII I. 

LIFE  THROUGH  FAITH  IN  THE  CHRIST  OF  GOD. 

^  T  the  close  of  his  Gospel,  John  warns  us 
against  supposing  that  he  had  given  a  com¬ 
plete  narrative  of  the  words  and  works  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  (chap.  xxi.  25)  ;  or  that  even  a  complete 
narrative  could  possibly  he  given.  The  grace,  the 
glory,  the  number  of  these,  were  far  beyond  the 
pen  or  lips  of  man.  The  speaker  and  the  doer 
of  these  was  the  Infinite  One ;  and  His  words 
and  works,  both  in  number  and  excellence,  were 
like  Himself. 

In  the  conclusion  of  his  twentieth  chapter  we 
have  a  statement  of  a  similar  kind  to  the  above, 
and  one  which  bears  very  closely  upon  the  truths 
we  have  been  endeavouring  to  bring  out  in  the  pre¬ 
ceding  pages  concerning  the  Christ  of  God.  The 
apostle  seems  afraid  of  allowing  the  very  thought 
to  enter  any  reader  s  mind  for  a  moment,  that  his 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  God.  157 

Gospel  was  to  be  received  as  a  complete  record  of 
the  life  of  the  Son  of  God  on  earth.  It  was  not 
■  such.  It  could  not  he  such.  It  was  not  intended 
to  be  such.  What !  A  short  treatise  of  twenty- 
one  brief  chapters  contain  the  full  history  of  the 
Christ  of  God  !  Impossible  !  Could  the  hollow  of 
a  babe’s  hand  contain  the  ocean  % 

It  is  with  the  remembrance  of  these  things  that 
we  are  to  read  this  marvellous  Gospel.  It  is  but 
one  star,  or  fragment  of  a  star,  taken  out  of  myriads, 
— myriads  now  hidden,  but  all  of  which  we  shall 
one  day  see. 

But  let  us  take  up  the  passage  under  the  fol¬ 
lowing  points  :  (1)  the  signs  ;  (2)  the  faith  ;  (3)  the 
life ;  (4)  the  name. 

I.  The  Signs. — The  word  sign  does  not  confine 
itself  to  miracles ;  nor  does  it  refer  to  something 
future,  as  if  it  contained  something  prophetical. 
It  is  something  which  signifies  that  the  person 
speaking  is  really  the  person  whom  he  professes 
to  be ;  something  which  identifies  the  individual, 
which  verifies  his  statements.  The  turning  of 
Moses’  rod  into  a  serpent  was  to  be  a  ‘  sign  ’  to 
Pharaoh  that  God  had  spoken  to  Moses.  The 
going  back  of  the  shadow  upon  the  dial  of  Ahaz 


158  The  Christ  of  God. 

was  to  be  a  sign  to  Hezekiah  tliat  God  would  heal 
him.  The  Jews  asked  a  sign  from  Jesus,  to  prove 
to  them  that  He  was  the  Messiah. 

A  sign,  then,  in  the  case  of  Christ,  was  some¬ 
thing  which  signified  that  He  was  really  that 
which  He  professed  to  he.  Of  these  signs  His 
miracles  formed  the  chief  part,  though  not  the 
whole.  His  resurrection  from  the  dead  was  the 
one  great  sign  given  specially  by  God  to  prove 
that  He  was  the  Christ.  The  proofs  of  the  reality 
of  that  resurrection,  and  of  the  identity  of  Him  who 
was  now  appearing  to  the  disciples  as  their  risen 
Master,  with  Him  who  went  out  and  in  among  them 
so  long,  and  who  was  at  last  nailed  to  the  cross, 
were  the  wounds  in  His  hands,  and  feet,  and  side, 
which  He  now  exhibited  to  Thomas  and  the  rest 
of  the  disciples. 

Of  such  ‘ signs  ’  John  had  recorded  many;  but  he 
intimates  to  us  that  there  were  many  more  behind, 
many  more  which  he  might  have  recorded,  many 
more  which  his  own  memory  could  recall, — all  of 
them  bearing  upon  the  point  of  the  Messiahsliip  of 
Jesus  ;  all  of  them  public  ‘  signs  ’  too,  not  done  in  a 
corner,  but  openly,  before  men :  c  Many  other  signs 
truly  did  Jesus,  in  the  presence  of  His  disciples, 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  God.  159 

which  are  not  written  in  this  book.’  The  events  in 
the  life  of  Jesus  may  well  he  compared  to  the  stars 
in  the  night  skies.  The  eye  sees  many,  and  what 
we  see  is  enough  to  attest  the  power  and  glory  of 
Jehovah  ;  the  telescope  shows  many  more ;  if  our 
telescopes  were  enlarged  and  improved,  we  might 
see  more  still ;  were  our  powers  of  vision  increased, 
or  were  we  translated  to  some  other  sphere,  we 
should  see  more  and  more  of  them,  all  proclaiming 
the  might  and  majesty  of  their  Maker.  So  with  the 
facts  in  the  life  of  Jesus.  The  evangelists  have 
gathered  up  a  few,  and  presented  them  for  us  to 
gaze  upon.  But  they  are,  after  all,  hut  few  in  com¬ 
parison  with  those  which  remain  ungatliered ;  and 
we  must  wait  the  day  when  we  shall  hear  the  whole 
glorious  history  of  that  wondrous  life,  and  have  fact 
upon  fact  presented  to  us,  and  word  upon  word, — 
all  detailed  to  us  in  blessed  profusion  and  endless 
number,  either  from  the  lips  of  His  disciples,  or, 
better  still,  from  His  own.  The  full  detail  of  these 
will  of  itself  be  enough  to  fill  up  the  days  and 
nights  of  eternity. 

But  though  by  far  the  greater  number  of  His 
words  and  deeds  is  left  unrecorded,  enough  has 
been  preserved  to  answer  the  divine  purpose  with 


160 


The  Christ  of  Cocl. 


us  here.  Nay,  we  may  say  that  this  abstract  or 
abridgment  of  His  life,  this  culling  from  the  events 
of  that  life,  is  far  better  for  us  than  a  larger  his¬ 
tory  would  have  been.  We  should  hut  have  been 
bewildered,  distracted,  with  more ;  and  though  we 
have  often  said  to  ourselves,  and  to  one  another, 
(  Would  that  we  knew  more  of  the  Lord’s  life  !  ’  we 
knew  not  what  we  said.  The  gratification  of  such  a 
wish  just  now  would  not  be  for  the  better  to  us,  but 
for  the  worse.  All  that  we  need  has  been  retained 
for  our  use  here,  and  we  are  quite  sure  that  the  rest 
are  not  thrown  away.  They  are  too  precious  jewels 
to  be  lost.  They  are  but  treasured  up  for  future 
use,  to  be  brought  forth  to  us  hereafter.  For  we 
have  not  done  knowing  Christ  when  we  see  Him 
face  to  face.  We  shall  only  have  begun. 

Had  this  abridgment  or  selection  been  a  human 
one,  we  might  have  been  somewhat  stumbled.  We 
might  have  asked,  Is  it  a  fair  one  ?  Does  it  give 
a  proper  view  of  the  case  ?  Does  it  place  the  evi¬ 
dence  upon  its  proper  basis,  and  bring  out  all  its 
strength  ?  But  knowing  that  it  is  a  divine ,  not  a 
human  selection,  we  have  no  such  questions  to  ask. 
The  selection  of  facts  and  words  must  be  perfect  of 
its  kind,  misrepresenting  nothing,  neither  understat- 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  God.  161 

ing  nor  overstating  anything ;  giving  ns  such  a 
sketch  of  the  earthly  life  of  the  Christ  as  would 
produce  upon  us  the  true  impression,  the  exact 
feeling  or  state  of  mind,  which  would  have  been 
produced  had  the  whole  been  presented  to  us,  and 
had  we  been  able  to  grasp,  or  wTeigh,  or  comprehend 
that  whole.  It  is  the  Holy  Spirit  who  has  abridged 
for  us  the  life  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  that  abridg¬ 
ment  must  not  only  be  thoroughly  accurate,  but.  so. 
adjusted  and  balanced  in  all  its  parts  as  to  do  its 
work  most  efficiently,  to  present  the  evidence  most 
strongly ;  to  strengthen,  not  to  weaken,  the  intended 
impression ;  to  concentrate,  not  to  diffuse  or  dilute, 
the  light. 

Hence  it  is  that  the  apostle,  while  reminding  us 
of  the  many  unrevealed  signs,  adds  this  regarding 
the  recorded  ones :  f  These  are  written,  that  ye  might 
believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God.’ 
We  take  the  recorded  signs  as  so  many  divine  mes¬ 
sages  to  us,  so  many  heavenly  rays  converging  on 
the  person  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth ;  and  we  take  them, 
too,  as  specimens  of  the  unrecorded , — each  miracle  a 
representative  of  multitudes  of  unrecorded  miracles, 
each  word  a  representative  of  millions  of  unrecorded 

words.  We  thus  learn,  that  while  much  has  been 

L 


162 


The  Christ  of  God. 


left  ungathered,  yet  that  which  is  left  is  of  the  same 
tenor  with  that  which  has  been  preserved :  the  un¬ 
known  does  not  contradict  the  known ;  the  evidence 
remaining  unproduced  is  all  in  the  same  direction, 
adding  to  the  proof  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  all 
that  He  professed  to  be. 

These  signs  are  worth  the  studying.  They  are 
full  of  meaning.  Each  one  is  big  with  everlasting 
truth,  with  divine  and  infinite  love. 

II.  The  Faith. — The  faith  has  its  root  in  the 
'  signs/  or  in  the  divine  statement  concerning  the 
signs ;  for  faith  cometli  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by 
the  word  of  God.  The  signs  were  specially  wrought 
for  the  production  of  this  faith,  and  they  are  selected 
and  recorded  for  the  same  purpose  to  us.  They  are 
the  foundation  of  faith,  not  simply  as  miracles,  but 
as  miracles  of  a  certain  kind,  and  with  a  definite 
bearing.  Their  meaning  is  unambiguous.  They  have 
one  voice  and  one  object.  They  all  bear  upon  the 
person  and  mission  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  They 
speak  out  the  mind  of  God  concerning  Him,  leaving 
us  in  no  doubt  as  to  this  point,  what  God  thinks 
of  Him. 

These  signs,  though  having  one  voice  and  one 
meaning,  bear  upon  our  faith  in  a  threefold  way. 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  Cocl.  163 

(1.)  They  testify  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the 
Sent  of  Cod. — As  Hicodemus  declared,  ‘  No  man 
can  do  these  miracles  except  God  be  with  him.’ 
This  was  the  point  to  which  Jesns  brought  the 
Pharisees :  Either  these  miracles  are  God’s  doing 
or  Satan’s,  and  prove  that  I  am  sent  either  of  God 
or  of  Satan.  But  as  these  miracles  are  all  against 
Satan  and  for  God,  as  well  as  for  the  good  of  man, 
they  must  be  of  divine  origin,  and  prove  me  to  be 
sent  of  God.  '  I  came  from  God,’  He  said,  and  these 
works  are  the  proof  that  this  is  true. 

(2.)  They  testify  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ. — The 
miracles  were  not  merely  great,  but  peculiar ;  just 
such  miracles  as  the  prophets  had  predicted  that 
Messiah  when  He  came  should  perform.  Hence, 
when  John’s  disciples  came  with  the  question, 
'Art  thou  He  that  should  come?’  Jesus  An  that 
same  hour,’  and  before  their  eyes,  wrought  certain 
miracles,  and  sent  back  the  messengers  to  John  with 
this  message  from  Himself :  'Go  and  show  John  again 
those  things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see :  the  blind 
receive  their  sight,  and  the  lame  walk ;  the  lepers 
are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear ;  the  dead  are  raised 
up,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to  them  ’ 
(Matt.  xi.  4,  5).  These  were  the  signs  which  were 


164 


The  Christ  of  God. 


to  satisfy  Jolin  and  his  disciples  that  Jesus  was 
the  Christ  of  God,  the  Messiah  of  the  prophets,  the 
seed  of  the  woman  who  had  come  to  bruise  the 
serpent’s  head,  and  to  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil. 

(3.)  They  testify  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God. — 
If  He  were  Messiah,  then,  by  inference,  was  He 
known  to  be  the  Son  of  God.  But  some  of  His 
f  signs  ’  went  more  directly  to  prove  the  Sonship, 
especially  the  resurrection.  By  this,  says  the 
apostle,  He  was  f  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
with  power/  It  was  as  the  Son  that  He  had  so 
often  spoken  in  the  Psalms  concerning  His  own 
resurrection  by  the  Father’s  power,  and  as  the  fruit 
of  the  Father’s  love.  ‘  Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul 
in  hell,  neither  wilt  Thou  suffer  Thine  Holy  One  to 
see  corruption.’  And  when  proving  to  Thomas  that 
He  was  in  very  deed  the  crucified  Jesus,  who  was 
dead  and  was  alive  again,  He  was  proving  that  He 
was  the  Son  of  God,  He  of  whom  it  had  been  said, 
‘  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee/ 

Thus,  then,  these  divinely  selected  and  divinely 

recorded  signs  bear  upon  the  person  of  Christ  in 

» 

these  three  points.  They  declare  Him  to  be  the 
Sent  of  God,  to  be  the  Christ  of  God,  to  be  the 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  God.  165 

Son  of  God.  And  under  these  three  heads,  all  that 
we  need  to  know  of  Him  is  comprised.  These 
signs  have  no  meaning,  if  they  do  not  mean  these 
these  three  things ;  and  if  they  do  mean  these 
things,  then  what  excuse  have  we  for  unbelief  ? 
What  a  perfect  foundation  have  we  for  faith  in 
Him  !  How  can  we  but  believe  ?  ‘  These  are 

written,  that  we  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God.’  And  in  the  day  of  weari¬ 
ness  and  doubt,  let  us  ever  fall  back  on  these  to 
renew  and  confirm  us.  Let  us  not  delude  ourselves 
with  the  idea  that  we  are  only  ‘  doubting  ourselves ,’ 
or  doubting  our  own  faith,  and  not  doubting  what 
God  has  recorded.  Unbelief  is  a  far  deeper  and 
deadlier  thing  than  merely  doubting  ourselves.  Ho 
man  ever  dishonoured  Christ  or  flung  away  his  soul 
by  doubting  himself.  The  evil  is,  that  at  such  times 
we  really  doubt  the  very  simplest  truths  of  Chris¬ 
tianity,  and  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  soothe  our 
consciences  with  the  idea  that  we  are  doubting  our¬ 
selves,  not  God,  nor  His  testimony ;  not  Christ, 
nor  the  signs  concerning  Him.  He  who  has  gone 
into  these  doubtings,  and  been,  by  the  mercy  of 
God,  recovered  from  them,  will  be  the  first  to 
acknowledge  that  his  doubts  were,  when  analyzed, 


166 


The  Christ  of  God. 


of  a  far  deadlier  nature  than  he  had  at  first  sup¬ 
posed  them ;  that  they  really  struck  at  the  very 
truth  of  God,  and  that  in  all  these  doubts  he  disco¬ 
vered  not  only  the  manifestations  of  self-righteous¬ 
ness,  hut  the  indications  of  atheism.  He  thought 
at  first  that  he  was  humbly  siding  with  God  against 
his  own  evil  self,  hut  soon  he  saw  that  he  was 
siding  with  self  and  with  the  devil  against  God  and 
His  truth.  He  was  actually  rejecting  the  testimony 
of  the  Father  concerning  the  Son.  He  was  refusing 
either  to  believe  the  signs,  or  to  interpret  them 
aright.  The  secret  thought  of  the  doubting  heart, 
under  whatever  disguises  it  may  cloak  itself,  is, 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  not  the  Christ,  nor  the  Son 
of  God. 

III.  The  Life. — The  faith  which  roots  itself  in 
these  signs  is  connected  with  life.  We  believe,  and 
we  live.  '  Faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped 
for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.’  And  when 

faith  is  connected  with  the  Christ,  then  the  unseen 

thing  which  it  finds  in  Him  is  life.  He  that  hath 
the  Son  hath  life.  '  He  that  believetli  on  the  Son 
hath  everlasting  life.’ 

It  is  not  easy  to  define  *  life,’  but  we  may  say 

that  it  consists  in  such  things  as  these :  (1.) 


Life,  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  Cod.  16  7 

Forgiveness,  or  deliverance  from  condemnation ;  for 
condemnation  is  death,  and  the  life  which  we  get 
from  Christ  is  the  reversal  of  this  death :  ‘  Through 
this  man  is  preached  unto  us  the  forgiveness  of 
sins ;  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in 
Christ  Jesus.’  (2.)  The  possession  of  that  new 
being  or  nature  by  which  we  are  made  to  resemble 
the  living  God  and  His  living  Son :  that  Jehovah 
whose  name  is  I  Am ;  that  Christ  who  is  the  life ; 
that  last  Adam,  who  is  not  only  a  ‘living  soul,’ 
but  a  ‘  quickening  Spirit.’  (3.)  Replenishment  with 
holiness ;  for  as  unholiness  is  death,  and  death  is 
unholiness,  so  holiness  is  life,  and  life  is  holiness. 
The  sinner  exists,  but  does  not  live ;  the  saint  lives 
as  well  as  exists.  (4.)  Participation  of  all  happi¬ 
ness.  Life  is  not  life  without  joy.  Joy  is  like  the 
blood  of  the  body.  Exhaust  the  blood,  the  man’s 
life  is  gone.  So  drain  the  soul  of  joy,  and  all  that 
deserves  the  name  of  life  has  fled.  It  is  not  so  un¬ 
important  or  unessential  a  thing  to  he  happy  as  some 
men  tell  us.  Happiness  is  the  very  essence  of  true 
life ;  and  hence  Jesus  comes  to  us  with  rest,  and 
peace,  and  joy,  at  the  very  outset.  ‘  These  things  I 
have  spoken  unto  you,  that  my  joy  might  remain 
in  you,  and  that  your  joy  might  he  full.’  Christ’s 


168 


The  Christ  of  God. 


own  joy  in  its  fulness  is  tlien  the  very  life  of  life. 
(5.)  Hope  of  resurrection,  or  rather  we  should  say, 
resurrection  itself.  Tor  in  Christ  we  have  such  a 
pledge  of  resurrection,  that  we  may  he  said  to  he 
already  risen,  already  possessed  of  our  resurrection 
bodies.  f  When  Christ  who  is  our  life  shall  appear, 
we  shall  appear  with  Him  in  glory ;  ’  meanwhile, 
until  He  appeareth,  we  may  reckon  ourselves  pos¬ 
sessed  of  the  glory  and  the  life,  even  in  the  midst  of 
the  shame  and  death  of  this  present  evil  world. 

All  these  things  are  comprised  in  the  f  life  ’  of 
which  our  text  speaks.  Life  is  not  merely  salvation, 
or  deliverance  from  the  eternal  woe.  It  includes 
these,  but  it  rises  far  beyond  them.  It  is  the  re¬ 
versal  of  all  that  the  first  Adam  brought  on  his  sons 
by  his  transgression ;  it  is  the  bestowment  of  the 
fulness  of  the  last  Adam  upon  us,  making  us  one 
with  Him  who  is  our  life,  making  us  partakers  of 
the  divine  nature,  filling  us  not  merely  with  the  life 
of  angels,  or  the  life  of  heaven,  but  with  the  life 
of  the  Son  of  God.  His  life  is  ours  ;  because  He 
liveth,  we  live  also  ;  our  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God. 

The  link,  the  one  link,  between  us  and  this  life 
is  faith.  Believing,  we  have  life.  It  is  the  link 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  God.  169 

between  us  and  tlie  life,  because  it  is  tbe  link 
between  us  and  Christ.  Life  is  the  result  of  con¬ 
nection  with  Christ  Himself. 

In  the  days  of  His  miracles  here  on  earth,  contact 
with  Him  was  everything.  In  some  cases  it  was 
the  sick  man’s  touch  of  Him,  in  others  it  was  His 
touch  of  the  sick  man  that  accomplished  the  heal¬ 
ing.  Loth  ways  are  recorded,  that  we  may  see  that 
the  contact  is  mutual;  that  the  great  thing,  the  one 
thing,  is  contact,  whether  that  be  our  touching  Him, 
or  His  touching  us.  Just  as  sometimes  He  is 
spoken  of  as  coming  to  us,  and  at  other  times  we 
are  spoken  of  as  coming  to  Him  ;  so  in  reference 
to  the  touch.  He  is  said  to  touch  us,  we  to  touch 
Him.  In  both  cases  it  is  personal  and  direct  con¬ 
tact  with  Himself.  Nothing  else  will  do. 

There  must  be  connection  with  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God.  Not  connection  with  a  creed,  or  a 
catechism,  or  a  Church,  or  a  minister,  or  a  godly 
ancestry,  but  with  Christ  Himself.  It  is  this  that 
saves,  and  everything  that  falls  short  of  this  fails  to 
win  the  life.  Pardon,  peace,  rest,  life, — all  that  a 
sinner  needs,  is  to  be  thus  obtained.  There  is  no 
other  way.  Prayers,  tears,  almsdeeds,  mortification, 
penance,  toil,  suffering,  religious  performances,  all 


170 


The  Christ  of  God. 


are  vain.  Only  in  contact  with  the  living  Christ  is 
there  life  for  the  dead  in  sin. 

It  is  the  Holy  Spirit’s  work  to  bring  about  this 
vital  contact.  It  is  He  who  takes  the  dead  soul, 
and  connects  it  with  the  source  of  life.  Flesh 
and  blood  could  not  accomplish  this ;  would  never 
think  of  this,  nor  wish  it ;  nay,  would  resist  to  the 
uttermost.  Yes,  it  requires  the  almiglitiness  of  God 
to  effect  a  result  so  utterly  opposed  to,  and  so 
strenuously  resisted  by,  every  feeling  of  the  natural 
man. 

But  while  the  work  and  the  Agent  are  super¬ 
natural,  the  way  is  natural.  The  Holy  Spirit 
*  worketh  faith  in  us,  and  thereby  unitetli  us  to 
Christ.’  He  opens  our  eyes  to  see  the  signs  done 
by  Jesus,  and  to  understand  the  truth  connected 
with  these.  When  thus  brought  to  recognise  in 
Jesus  Him  whom  the  Father  had  sent  into  the 
world  as  the  life  of  men,  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and 
the  Life,  the  connection  between  us  and  the  source 
of  life  is  established :  life  flows  into  us,  His  life,  the 
life  which  quickens  the  dead,  the  life  which  makes 
us  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  life. 

‘  Believing,’  we  have  life  !  Whether  we  may  be 
sensible  of  it  or  not,  we  have  it ;  for  the  word  of  God 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  God.  171 

is  sure,  and  the  life  is  connected  not  with  feeling , 
hut  with  faith. 

‘  Believing/  we  have  life  !  However  unlike  the 
living  we  may  he,  however  burdened,  and  feeble, 
and  dark,  we  have  life,  for  God  hath  given  His  sure 
word  of  promise. 

Having  life,  we  walk,  and  work,  and  act,  and 
speak  as  living  men.  We  go  forward  in  joy,  and 
liberty,  and  vigour  to  do  the  work  of  Him  who  hath 
quickened  us.  We  start  upon  the  race  set  for  us,  not 
darkly  nor  uncertainly,  but  as  men  who  know  their 
calling,  and  have  their  eye  distinctly  upon  the  goal. 

IV.  The  Name. — In  Scripture,  the  name  of  a 
person  has  a  twofold  reference.  (1.)  It  distin¬ 
guishes  the  individual  from  all  others ;  (2.)  It 
expresses  his  character.  So  the  name  of  God, 
‘  Jehovah,’  marks  Him  out  from  all  other  gods, 
and  also  indicates  His  character,  ‘  the  Lord  God, 
merciful  and  gracious.’  So  the  name  or  names 
of  Christ  both  single  Him  out,  and  intimate  His 
nature,  His  character,  His  work, — Jesus,  Immanuel, 
Christ,  the  Lord,  the  Lamb. 

Through  these,  as  it  were,  the  life  flows  out 
from  Him  to  us.  They  are  the  fountains  to 
which  we  apply  our  thirsty  lips,  and  drink  of 


172 


The  Christ  of  God. 


the  water  of  life.  From  each  of  them  pours  a 
gushing  stream  of  immortality. 

The  use  of  the  singular  number  here,  and  often 
elsewhere  (‘  name/  not  *  names  ’),  implies,  however, 
something  more  than  this.  f  Name  ’  is  no  doubt 
the  gathering  together  or  concentration  of  the  ideas 
contained  in  the  others  into  one.  But  there  is 
more  in  the  word  than  this.  The  name  of  a 
person  is  often  used  as  equivalent  to  the  authority 
or  power  of  that  person ;  so  that  when  I  use  his 
name,  all  his  influence  passes  over  to  me,  and  I  get 
all  that  he  would  be  entitled  to  obtain.  In  order 
to  get  the  full  meaning  of  our  text,  we  must  add 
this  last  idea  to  the  former.  Thus,  in  Acts  iii.  16, 
‘  His  name,  through  faith  in  His  name,  hath  made 
this  man  strong.’ 

It  is  then  the  name  of  Christ  as  f  a  power/ — 
something  potential,  influential,  omnipotent, — that 
our  text  speaks  of.  It  is  not  only  the  name  of 
names ;  it  not  only  contains  in  itself  that  truth 
and  love  which,  when  believed,  quicken  the  soul ; 
but  it  is  all-prevailing,  when  made  use  of  by  the 
sinner  with  God  in  order  to  obtain  life. 

This  name  is  mighty.  It  can  command.  It 
speaks  with  authority.  He  that  uses  it  may  reckon 


Life  through  Faith  in  the  Christ  of  Cod.  173 

on  receiving  what  lie  needs.  '  Concerning  tlie  works 
of  my  hands  command  ye  me.’  Thus  we  go  to  God, 
employing  this  omnipotent  name. 

This  name  is  of  great  'price.  It  can  purchase 
life ;  nay,  all  things  that  we  need.  He  who  makes 
use  of  this  name  in  his  heavenly  commerce  is  sure 
to  prosper.  Going  with  it  into  the  heavenly  market, 
he  can  purchase  anything.  There  is  nothing  in 
all  the  stores  of  God  which  is  too  precious  to  he 
bought  by  gold  like  this. 

Specially,  however,  in  obtaining  life  is  this  name 
to  be  used.  Having  learned  who  Jesus  really  is ; 
having  discovered  in  Him  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  we  say :  Ah,  then,  His  name  is  all  we  need. 
It  must  he  sufficient  to  obtain  life  for  us.  And 
thus  going  to  God,  we  get  life  *  through  His  name.’ 

Life  in  Christ !  Life  from  Christ !  Life  through 
His  name !  This  is  the  sum  of  our  message.  It  is 
glad  tidings  of  great  joy.  We  proclaim  aloud  this 
name.  We  tell  its  virtues,  its  power,  its  precious¬ 
ness,  its  sufficiency.  We  present  it  to  each  of  you 
for  use,  present  use.  God  bids  you  use  it.  It  is 
just  the  name  you  need.  He  bids  you  come  to 
Him  with  it,  and  you  are  sure  to  succeed,  on  what¬ 
soever  errand  you  come.  Nothing  can  withstand. 


174 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Nothing  is  too  excellent  to  be  beyond  its  power  to 
purchase.  Only  credit  what  God  tells  you  of  it ; 
take  it  at  once  ;  use  it  as  those  who  know  that 
God  would  not  deceive  you  in  such  a  matter,  nor 
put  a  false  value  on  the  name  of  His  Son. 

Life  through  the  name  of  Jesus  !  Listen,  ye  dead 
in  sin.  Hear,  and  your  souls  shall  live.  There  is 
no  other  name  possessed  of  virtue  or  value  equal  to 
this.  Honour  this  excellent  name  by  using  it;  show 
that  the  value  which  you  set  upon  it  is  the  same 
that  God  does  by  going  to  Him  with  it,  to  purchase 
from  Him  the  life  which  a  sinner  needs. 

Do  not  undervalue  that  name,  nor  discredit  the 
divine  testimony  to  its  potency.  Do  not  mistrust 
it  when  you  go  to  God  with  it;  but  act  with  the 
confidence, — the  reverent  confidence, — of  a  man 
who  is  assured  that  that  name  is  all  that  has 
been  said  ;  nay,  that  the  half  has  not  been  told 
him  concerning  its  power  and  value.  Mix  nothing 
with  it ;  add  nothing  to  it ;  nothing  of  self,  nothing 
of  man,  nothing  either  of  earth  or  heaven.  Take 
it  as  it  is,  —  alone,  perfect,  all-powerful.  You 
cannot  trust  it  too  much ;  nor  expect  too  great 
things  from  your  employment  of  it  in  the  trans¬ 
actions  between  you  and  God. 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  175 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ABIDING  IN  THE  SON  AND  IN  THE  FATHER, 

rjiHE  Lord’s  own  words  in  the  Gospel  of  John 
are  remarkable  for  their  references  to  our 
connection  with  the  Christ,  as  that  of  being  in 
Him  and  abiding  in  Him ;  of  being  in  the  truth, 
and  abiding  in  the  truth. 

The  bearing  of  all  the  preceding  remarks  upon 
this,  and  of  this  upon  the  preceding  remarks,  will 
be  obvious.  Connection  with  the  Christ  of  God 
in  most  intimate  closeness  is  that  which  is  affirmed 
to  be  the  beginning,  middle,  and  end  of  a  Christian 
man’s  life  on  earth.  This  connection  is  brought 
about  through  the  truth,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  the  exhortations  as  well  as  warnings 
respecting  all  this  are  of  the  most  solemn,  and  I 
might  add,  vehement  kind. 

Let  us,  for  the  enforcement  of  this,  take  up  more 
specially  and  in  detail  one  verse,  viz.  1  John  ii. 


176 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


24.  The  whole  of  this  Epistle  hears  more  or  less 
directly  upon  these  points  ;  hut  this  verse  brings 
them  home  to  the  Christian’s  conscience,  and  refers 
to  their  lifelong  application  to  the  Christian’s  walk 
with  God.1 

The  word  'you’  is,  in  the  Greek,  emphatic,  from 
its  position  and  its  construction.  The  apostle  is 
writing  to  men  exposed  to  seducing  influences ; 
tempted  with  perilous  error,  and  assailed  by  'many 
antichrists.’  '  Whatever  others  may  think  or  do ; 
however  far  they  may  go  astray  or  blaspheme, — do 

1  The  expression  which  we  have  in  the  above  verse  is  used  more 
than  once  by  the  Apostle  Paul  in  reference  to  the  churches  as  a 
whole.  He  writes  ‘  to  the  Church  of  the  Thessalonians  which  is 
in  God  the  Father,  and  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ’  (1  Thess.  i.  1  ; 
2  Thess.  i.  1).  Thus,  that  which  John  applies  to  each  individual 
saint  is  applied  by  Paul  to  the  Church  at  large.  In  the  special 
passage  on  which  the  remarks  in  this  chapter  are  founded,  it  may 
be  well  to  notice  that,  while  in  our  translation  there  are  three 
words  used,  ‘  abiding,’  ‘  remaining,’  and  ‘  continuing,’  there  is  only 
one  in  the  Greek.  This  greatly  misleads  the  common  reader, 
making  him  think  that  there  are  three  distinct  states  set  forth. 
There  ought  to  have  been  but  one  word  in  the  translation,  and  it 
does  not  much  matter  which  of  the  three  English  words  is  em¬ 
ployed  ;  only,  as  we  find  a  sort  of  mystical  halo  thrown  round  the 
word  ‘  abiding,  ’  it  would  be  better  to  use  ‘  remain  ’  or  ‘  continue.  ’ 
Instead  of  ‘  remain  ’  or  ‘  continue,’  we  have  in  many  places  simply 
the  word  ‘  to  be  :’  ‘  We  are  in  the  true  One  ’  (1  John  v.  20). 

The  same  word  is  used  of  the  ro  %pi<r/xoi,  the  anointing  or  unction,  in 
ver.  27,  ‘The  anointing  which  ye  have  received  of  Him  abideth 
(remaineth)  in  you  ;  ’  and  according  to  the  ‘  remaining  ’  of  the 
‘  anointing  ’  is  our  remaining  in  Christ  : — ‘  As  it  hath  taught  you, 
ye  shall  abide  in  Him  ’  (ver.  27). 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  177 

you  liold  fast  that  which  ye  have  received.’  This 
was  his  earnest  message  to  the  saints  of  the  first 
century ;  it  is  no  less  his  exhortation  and  his  warn¬ 
ing  to  the  Church  of  the  nineteenth. 

It  is  of  ‘  the  truth’  (ver.  21)  that  he  is  speak¬ 
ing  ;  he  gives  it  a  special  name,  *  that  which  they 
had  heard  from  the  beginning ;  ’  he  beseeches  them 
to  let  that  truth  abide ;  he  announces  the  blessed 
results  of  so  doing. 

I.  The  Truth. — Both  in  his  Gospel  and  in  his 
Epistles  he  dwells  on  what  he  calls  by  pre-emi¬ 
nence  the  truth,  and  lays  great  stress  on  the 
things  that  are  true  ;  the  true  words,  and  the 
true  facts.  He  relates,  too,  the  Master’s  allusions 
to  His  speaking  the  truth  (John  viii.  45);  and  to 
Himself  as  "the  truth;’  and  he  takes  special  pains 
to  inform  us  that  his  own  record  is  true,  and  that 
he  knows  that  it  is  true  ;  and  all  this  to  furnish 
a  firm  foundation  for  our  faith :  *  He  that  saw  it 
bare  record,  and  his  record  is  true  ;  and  he  knoweth 
that  he  saith  true. ,  that  ye  might  believe  ’  (John 
xix.  35).  The  Master  had  said, — 'My  record  is 
true ;  ’  ‘  My  judgment  is  true  ;  ’  ‘  If  I  say  the  truth , 
why  do  ye  not  believe  me  ?  ’  and  so  the  disciple 
speaks.  On  true  things,  true  words,  a  true  person, 


178 


The  Christ  of  God. 


and  a  true  history,  John  would  have  us  rest  our 
faith ;  not  on  opinion,  or  speculation,  or  reason¬ 
ing,  hut  on  evidence  of  the  surest  kind,  the  tes¬ 
timony  of  honest  witnesses ;  on  that  which  is 
more  satisfying  and  immoveable  than  human  de¬ 
monstration,  the  testimony  of  the  God  who  cannot 
lie.  Thus,  he  teaches  us  to  say  in  regard  to 
divine  things,  ‘  we  know  them ;  ’  not  we  think  or 
conjecture,  but  we  know;  they  are  absolutely  true 
and  certain ;  and  our  belief  of  them  rests  on  the 
explicit  word  of  God.  Our  faith  rises  above  all 
other  faith,  not  because  it  is  of  superior  quality 
in  itself,  but  because  it  rests  on  a  divine  basis, 
—  the  authority  of  the  God  of  truth.  This  is 
the  immoveable  rock  on  which  we  rest ;  a  rock 
which  time  and  age  cannot  crumble  down;  a  rock 
against  which  waves  rush  and  winds  roar  in  vain. 
0  rock  of  God,  rock  of  ages,  rock  of  eternity,  how 
firm  the  faith,  how  blessed  the  man,  that  rests  on 
Thee  ! 

II.  The  name  by  which  he  here  designates  the 
Truth. — '  That  which  ye  have  heard  from  the  begin¬ 
ning  an  expression  very  like  one  of  the  Master’s, 
when  He  said  to  the  Jews,  'Even  the  same  that  I 
said  unto  you  from  the  beginning.’  The  truth,  then, 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  179 

of  which  John  spoke  to  them  was  not  new ,  hut  old  ; 
it  was  the  one  unvarying  thing  which  they  had 
all  along  heard :  not  modified,  or  improved  upon,  or 
refined,  so  as  to  suit  the  times ;  hut  the  same, 
unchanged  and  unchangeable.  When  apostles  came 
amongst  them  for  the  first  time,  they  preached  ‘  the 
word  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel and  in  that  word, 
that  truth,  that  gospel,  there  had  been  no  improve¬ 
ments  ;  nothing  had  become  obsolete,  and  nothing 
required  amendment.  That  which  they  had  heard 
from  the  beginning  was  all  that  they  were  called  to 
abide  on  now.  Nothing  needed  to  be  added  to,  or 
taken  from  it.  Its  contents  were  infinitely  varied ; 
but  itself  remained  ever  the  same. 

In  this  respect  it  is  like  the  works  of  God’s 
hand  around  us.  There  is  the  sun  in  the  firma¬ 
ment,  just  the  same  as  at  the  beginning,  in  form, 
motion,  light,  and  heat.  It  has  not  begun  to  be 
reckoned  obsolete ;  nor  has  something  new  been 
proposed  as  a  substitute.  It  does  not  require 
improvement ;  men  have  not  begun  to  weary  of 
it ;  nor  have  flaws  been  discovered  in  its  glorious 
radiance.  Development,  in  the  sense  of  drawing 
out  its  treasures,  and  unfolding  its  beauties  and 
perfections,  is  proceeding  as  science  expands  ;  but 


180 


The  Christ  of  Gael. 


development  in  tlie  sense  of  addition,  or  improve¬ 
ment,  is  not  dreamt  of  even  as  a  possibility.  Men 
are  content  with  their  old  sun,  the  snn  of  Adam, 
the  sun  of  Noah,  the  sun  of  Moses  and  Joshua; 
the  sun  that  was  lighted  up  on  the  fourth  day,  the 
sun  that  rose  over  Sodom,  the  sun  that  stood  still 
on  Giheon,  the  sun  that  was  darkened  for  three 
hours  at  Jerusalem  and  over  all  the  land.  Modern 
enlightenment  has  not  yet  affirmed  that  its  theories 
of  progress  admit  of  application  to  the  sun,  or  that 
a  higher  science  may  yet  do  for  astronomy  what  a 
higher  criticism  and  a  more  advanced  theology  are 
doing  for  religious  truth,  and  for  "the  Christ  of  God/ 
That  which  we  have  heard  from  the  beginning  is 
the  same  that  we  are  to  hear  and  obey  now ;  for  the 
truth  is  like  the  true  One  Himself,  the  same  yester¬ 
day,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever.  And  like  as  the 
sun  in  the  firmament  is  still  the  same  full  source 
of  light,  and  heat,  and  fruitfulness,  so  is  the  Christ 
of  God  still,  as  in  ages  past,  the  fountainhead 
of  life,  and  health,  and  gladness.  Earth  is  not 
weary  of  her  sun ;  so  let  not  the  Church  be 
weary  of  hers.  The  light  of  the  world  eighteen 
centuries  ago  is  the  light  of  the  world  still.  Truth 
never  grows  old.  On  her  brow  there  are  no 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  181 

wrinkles ;  no  grey  hairs  upon  her  head.  She 
does  not  totter  with  age,  nor  does  her  tongue 
stammer.  She  knows  no  second  childhood ;  for 
she  is  always  young,  yet  always  ancient  as  well ; 
unchanging  amid  changes,  immortal  in  a  land  of 
death ;  perfect  amid  imperfection,  and  weakness, 
and  decay. 

But  what  is  it  that  we  have  heard  from  the 
beginning  ?  We  have  heard  that  the  Word  was 
made  flesh ;  that  God  so  loved  the  world  as  to 
give  His  Son.  We  have  heard  that  God  is  love ; 
that  the  cross  of  Christ  is  the  exponent  of  that 
love,  and  the  exhibition  of  the  righteousness  in 
conjunction  with  which  that  love  has  come  to  us. 
We  have  heard  of  the  precious  blood  of  Christ 
as  cleansing,  reconciling,  healing,  comforting.  We 
have  heard  of  the  eternal  life  which  has  come  to 
us  as  God’s  free  gift  through  the  death  of  the 
Prince  of  Life.  We  have  heard  of  the  record  or 
testimony  concerning  this  life  which  God  has  pro¬ 
claimed.  We  have  heard  of  the  Advocate  with 
the  Father,  Jesus  Christ,  the  righteous.  We  have 
heard  of  the  divine  generosity  that  has  made  us 
sons  of  God,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with 
Christ  Jesus.  We  have  heard  of  the  promise  of 


132 


The  Christ  of  God. 


His  appearing  in  His  glory,  bringing  with  Him 
resurrection,  and  glory,  and  the  incorruptible  in¬ 
heritance.  These  are  some  of  the  things  which 
we  have  heard  from  the  beginning ;  and  in  hearing 
of  which  we  believed,  and  in  believing  became  sons 
and  heirs. 

These  things  have  not  changed  nor  grown  ob¬ 
solete.  They  have  proved  their  excellency  through 
the  ages,  and  passed  through  many  a  trial,  many 
a  scrutiny.  They  have  resisted  triumphantly  the 
assaults  of  scepticism  and  superstition ;  paganism 
persecuted,  popery  veiled,  rationalism  undermined. 
But  all  in  vain.  The  well  is  too  deep  for  man’s 
appliances  to  fill  up,  too  clear  for  man’s  hostility 
to  disturb,  too  perennial  for  man’s  anger  to  dry  up. 
The  living  water  in  it  is  as  transparent  as  at  the 
first.  It  quenches  man’s  thirst  as  thoroughly  in 
these  last  days  as  it  did  in  ages  past.  It  is  still 
a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life. 

Most  venerable  name, *  that  which  we  have  heard 
from  the  beginning even  more  venerable  now  than 
in  the  days  of  the  apostle,  and  becoming  more 
venerable  every  day  !  We  need  and  we  desire  no 
new  gospel,  no  new  truth,  as  if  ancient  truth  had 
become  antiquated.  That  which  gladdened  the 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  183 

sinners  of  Jerusalem,  or  Corinth,  or  Ephesus,  or 
Philippi,  can  gladden  us  still.  That  which  fed 
the  Church  of  God  in  primitive  times  can  feed 
us  in  these  last  days.  Can  we  ask  for  anything 
better,  truer,  more  suited  to  our  condition  than  that 
which  the  Church  has  heard,  and  which  apostles 
preached  from  the  beginning  ? 

III.  The  necessity  for  the  continuance  of  this  truth. 
— We  may  see  this  from  what  we  have  already 
said,  but  much  more  might  be  added  to  enforce  the 
apostle’s  exhortation.  There  is  no  other  truth  to 
substitute  for  it;  and  besides,  the  old  is  better. 
No  second  revelation  has  descended  to  us.  God 
has  not  broken  silence  since  the  day  He  spoke  in 
Patmos.  Any  new  revelation  must  be  a  human 
one ;  and  a  human  one  must  be  infinitely  inferior  to 
the  divine.  It  is  not  merely  continuance  in  truth, 
but  in  f  the  truth nor  the  continuance  of  the  truth, 
but  the  continuance  of  that  truth  in  us  ;  the  truth 
in  us,  and  we  in  the  truth ;  it  dwelling  in  us,  and 
we  in  it,  so  that  '  that  which  we  have  heard  from 
the  beginning  ’  shall  penetrate  us  in  all  its  integrity 
and  unmixed  purity,  pervading  every  part  of  our 
being,  moulding  us,  quickening  us,  sanctifying  us, 
remaining  with  us  to  the  end. 


184 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Tlie  abiding  of  this  truth  in  us,  here  inculcated, 
is  broadly  opposed  to  the  flippant  and  superficial 
tenure  of  it  by  many  in  our  day.  The  truth  must 
not  lie  upon  the  surface,  like  water  on  the  rock, 
it  must  sink  deep  into  us :  it  must  not  be  held 
with  levity  or  in  sport,  nor  dallied  with  as  a  thing 
of  pastime ;  it  must  be  grasped  in  earnest,  as  if 
part  of  our  very  soul.  It  must  not  come  and  go, 
by  fits  and  starts,  for  convenience,  or  for  gain,  or 
for  approbation ;  it  must  abide,  unchangeable,  not 
indeed  like  the  rock,  immoveable  and  uncommuni¬ 
cative,  but  like  the  river,  ever  flowing  in  its  old  and 
happy  channel,  diffusing  fruitfulness  and  verdure 
all  around. 

The  non-abiding  of  this  truth  in  us  is  the  cause 
of  much  that  is  false,  hollow,  and  feverish  in  the 
religion  of  multitudes.  True  religion  must  rest 
upon  the  truth,  upon  ‘  that  which  we  have  heard 
from  the  beginning.’  Truth  and  religion  have 
too  often  been  separated ;  and  we  find  on  the  one 
hand  truth  professed  without  religion,  and  on  the 
other,  religion  professed  without  truth.  Indeed,  as 
to  the  latter,  it  is  beginning  to  be  affirmed  that  a 
man  may  be  a  very  religious  man  without  holding 
the  truth,  and  that  it  is  the  highest  form  of  religion 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  185 

that  soars  above  creeds  and  doctrines,  and  repudiates 
all  theologies  whatever.  The  current  of  public 
opinion  runs  strongly  in  favour  of  this  idea,  and 
it  is  promulgated  as  one  of  the  discoveries  of  the 
age,  that  the  religious  sentiment  is  quite  indepen¬ 
dent  of  doctrine,  and  can  root  itself  in  a  negation  or 
a  falsehood  as  naturally  and  properly  as  in  a  truth 
or  a  positive  creed.  If  the  Bible  is  to  be  credited, 
this  is  simply  and  nakedly  an  impossibility.  The 
‘  religious  sentiment  ’  is  nothing  but  a  fancy,  or  a 
dream,  or  a  flight  of  poetry,  if  not  the  offspring  of 
truth.  We  may  say  more :  the  religious  sentiment, 
either  undirected  or  misdirected,  either  under  no 
guidance  of  truth  or  under  the  guidance  of  positive 
error,  must  be  identical  with  idolatry  or  blasphemy. 
The  Bible  acknowledges  no  God  but  Jehovah,  and 
every  deviation  from  the  right  knowledge  and  right 
worship  of  Him  is  a  crime.  It  recognises  no 
religion  but  one,  founded  on  that  which  we  have 
heard  from  the  beginning.  The  religious  *  sentiment  ’ 
may  be  very  fervent  in  the  worshippers  of  Baal,  or 
Jupiter,  or  Mary,  but  its  fervour  finds  no  acceptance 
with  Him  who  is  jealous  for  His  name,  to  whom 
there  is  but  one  truth  and  one  religion ;  who  has 
never  consented  to  recognise  falsehood  concerning 


186 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Himself  as  an  equivalent  for  truth  regarding  Him¬ 
self  ;  nor  man’s  ideas  of  wliat  God  should  he  as  a 
substitute  for  what  He  declares  that  God  is ;  nor 
the  shifting  theories  of  religion  as  equally  good, 
equally  safe,  and  equally  satisfactory  with  f  that 
which  we  have  heard  from  the  beginning/ 

IY.  The  results. — ■  Ye  also  shall  continue  in  the 
Father  and  in  the  Son/  There  is  certainly  some¬ 
thing  wonderful  and  glorious  here.  There  is  another 
side  of  divine  truth  presented  to  us,  and  another 
view  of  our  relationship  to  God.  The  result  of 
abiding  in  the  truth  will  be  abiding  in  the  Father 
and  the  Son ;  and,  of  course,  departure  from  that 
truth  will  be  expulsion  or  estrangement  from  the 
Father  and  the  Son.  The  beginning  of  our  religion 
was  coming  to  the  Father,  and  this  we  did  in  be¬ 
lieving  the  truth  upon  His  own  testimony.  The 
continuance  of  our  religion  was  an  abiding  in  the 
Father,  and  this  through  abiding  in  the  truth.  So 
with  regard  to  the  Son :  we  came  to  be  in  Him  by 
being  in  the  truth  as  revealed  concerning  Him  ;  and 
as  we  began,  so  we  carry  on  ;  that  which  we  heard 
from  the  beginning  remains  in  us,  and  so  we  remain 
in  the  Father  and  the  Son.  Kejection  of  the  truth 
involves  the  loss  of  this  position,  this  relationship  ; 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  187 

and  the  more  of  divine  truth  that  we  possess,  the 
more  is  this  position  confirmed,  and  the  more  fully 
does  this  relationship  develope  itself. 

But  what  is  meant  by  *  continuing  in  the  Father 
and  the  Son  ’  ?  It  is  not  enough  to  say  that  it 
means  continuing  to  know,  or  continuing  to  have 
fellowship  with,  or  continuing  to  worship,  or  con¬ 
tinuing  to  love  and  to  be  loved.  It  implies  some¬ 
thing  deeper,  more  intimate,  more  full  than  this. 
The  figure  is  taken  first  of  all  from  our  Lord’s  own 
discourses.  '  At  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am 
in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you.’  ‘  Abide 
in  me,  and  I  in  you :  as  the  branch  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more 
can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me.’  The  connection 
between  our  abiding  in  Him  and  the  truth  abiding 
in  us,  is  also  affirmed  by  our  Lord :  *  If  a  man  love 
me,  he  will  keep  my  words ;  and  my  Father  will 
love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him,  and  make 
our  abode  with  him  ;’  and  again,  ‘If  ye  abide  in  me, 
and  my  words  abide  in  you.’ 

(1.)  We  are  in  the  Father  and  the  Son,  as  the 
Father  Himself  is  in  the  Son,  and  the  Son  in  the 
Father  (John  xvii.  21).  Ho  thing  can  imply  inti¬ 
macy  more  fully  than  this. 


183 


The  Christ  of  God. 


(2.)  We  are  in  the  Father  and  in  the  Son  as  the 
seed  is  in  the  soil,  or  as  the  graft  is  in  the  branch. 
This  is  intimacy  producing  fruitfulness,  and  furnish¬ 
ing  us  with  sap  and  life, — intimacy  growing  into 
perfect  oneness. 

(3.)  We  are  in  the  Father  and  Son  as  the  inmate 
of  a  house  is  within  its  walls,  surrounded  by  it  on 
all  sides  for  shelter,  comfort,  and  all  the  joys  of 
home.  This  home  intimacy  is  as  close  as  can  be 
conceived,  he  who  enjoys  it  being  compassed  about 
with  divine  light,  and  love,  and  glory. 

(4.)  We  are  in  the  Father  and  in  the  Son  as  the 
gold  and  silver  are  in  the  treasure-house,  and  as  the 
treasure-house  itself  is  in  the  fortress,  doubly  sur¬ 
rounded,  for  completeness  of  safety.  ‘  Our  life  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God/ 

(5.)  We  are  in  the  Father  and  in  the  Son  as  was 

« 

Jerusalem  in  the  midst  of  the  encircling  hills.  'As 
the  'mountains  are  round  about  Jerusalem,  so  the 
Lord  is  round  about  His  people,  from  henceforth 
even  for  ever.’  What  absolute  security  and  repose 
does  this  imply  !  The  Father  and  the  Son  our 
walls  and  bulwarks  ! 

(6.)  We  are  in  the  Father  and  in  the  Son  as  was 
the  manna  in  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  safe  in  the 


Abiding  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  189 

very  holy  of  holies  ;  or  as  the  pillar  spoken  of  in 
the  promise  to  the  Philadelphian  church :  *  Him 
that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple 
of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out ;  ’  the  orna¬ 
ment  and  glory  of  the  eternal  house  in  which  the 
redeemed  shall  dwell  and  worship  for  ever. 

These  may  he  taken  as  parts  of  the  figure  here 
made  use  of,  in  so  far  as  it  is  a  figure  ;  hut  the 
fulness  of  the  blessing,  and  honour,  and  joy,  and 
security,  and  light,  here  shadowed  forth,  no  human 
lip  or  pen  can  set  forth.  We  cannot  know  it  rightly 
now,  but  we  shall  know  it  hereafter;  only  there 
seems  something  so  unutterably  glorious  and  blessed 
in  the  thought,  that  we  might  almost  say,  we  shall 
never  fully  understand  the  mystery.  But  God,  our 
God,  understands  it  fully,  and  Pie  can  and  will  give 
us  the  full  benefit  of  it,  whether  we  understand  it 
or  not.  Out  of  these  half-understood  expressions, 
He  can  enable  us  to  draw  unceasing  gladness  and 
holiness,  unfolding  to  us  in  His  own  way  and  time 
more  and  more  of  their  unsearchable  riches ;  and 
through  *  that  which  we  have  heard  from  the  be¬ 
ginning,’  making  us  each  day  more  abundantly  par¬ 
takers  of  His  fellowship  through  the  indwelling 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


190 


The  Christ  of  God. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

THE  FUTUEE  GLOEY  OF  THE  CHEIST. 

|A  AETH  lias  a  future  in  connection  with  the 
Christ  of  God.  His  body  is  composed  of 
its  dust,  and  this  of  itself  forms  a  link  which 
cannot  he  broken. 

The  Son  of  God  is  the  ‘  second  man/  or  *  last 
Adam/  and  as  such  He  is  to  have  dominion  over 
all  that  of  which  the  first  Adam  was  king.  God’s 
eternal  purpose  includes  not  only  the  king,  hut  the 
kingdom ;  and  the  history  of  the  Christ  carries 
along  with  it  the  history  of  this  earth,  past,  pre¬ 
sent,  and  to  come. 

We  have  already  alluded  to  this  in  passing,  hut 
let  us  ere  we  close  take  it  up  a  little  more  fully ; 
and  let  us  do  so  in  connection  with  the  second 
chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  where  the 
humiliation  and  the  glory  of  ‘  the  Christ  ’  are 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  191 

brought  strikingly  into  view.  Without  expounding 
that  chapter  in  detail,  we  may  bring  out  some  of 
its  more  outstanding  points. 

Into  four  great  parts,  or  sections,  does  the  apostle 
here  divide  the  history  of  Him  who  is  the  bright¬ 
ness  of  Jehovah’s  glory,  and  the  express  image  of 
His  person.  Of  these  sections  the  headings  are 
these :  The  things  which  we  have  seen,  or  Jesus 
made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels ;  the  things 
which  we  do  not  see  (i.e.  which  do  not  yet  exist), 
or  all  things  not  yet  put  under  Him  ;  the  things 
that  we  do  see  {i.e.  which  now  exist),  or  Jesus 
crowned  with  glory  and  honour;  the  things  that 
we  shall  see,  or  all  things  put  in  subjection  under 
Him,  and  the  kingdoms  of  earth  made  His  de  facto , 
as  they  have  been  His  de  jure,  from  the  beginning. 
Each  of  these  four  points  the  apostle  brings  to  bear 
upon  his  argument,  in  his  great  demonstration  of 
the  super  -  Adamic,  super  -  angelic,  super  -  Mosaic, 
glory  of  the  Christ,  the  last  Adam,  the  Head,  the 
King,  the  Priest  of  ‘  the  world  to  come.’ 

The  first  two  of  these  four  parts  are  marked  by  a 
common  aspect  of  darkness  ;  the  second  two,  by  a 
common  aspect  of  brightness.  The  first  of  all  is 
the  period  of  Messiah’s  self-abnegation  hero,  in  the 


192 


The  Christ  of  God. 


days  of  His  flesh,  when,  though  rich,  for  our  sakes 
He  became  poor,  was  made  perfect  through  suffer¬ 
ings,  and  bore  our  curse  upon  the  tree.  The  second 
is  the  present  period  of  His  non-manifestation  and 
non-assumption  of  actual  and  visible  rule  in  our 
world,  to  which  as  the  risen  Christ  and  the  en¬ 
throned  King  He  was  entitled,  but  for  which  He 
was  content  to  wait  for  the  fulness  of  the  times, 
and  the  gradual  evolution  of  the  Father’s  eternal 
purpose.  The  third  is  the  period  of  His  investi¬ 
ture  with  the  royalty  of  heaven,  His  session  on  the 
Father’s  throne;  angels,  and  authorities,  and  powers 
being  made  subject  unto  Him.  The  fourth  is  the 
period  of  His  manifestation  or  glory  here,  when 
His  enemies  shall  be  made  His  footstool,  and  all 
things  put  under  Him  ;  when,  as  the  f  second  man,’ 
He  shall  undo  what  the  f  first  man  ’  did ;  and  as 
Son  of  God,  yet  also  Son  of  Mary,  Son  of  David, 
Son  of  Abraham,  Son  of  Adam,  Seed  of  the  woman, 
true  Heir  of  all  things,  He  shall  gather  up  into 
Himself  the  unfinished  types,  and  predictions,  and 
foreshadows,  in  which  the  Church  of  past  ages 
dimly  saw  Him,  and  in  the  name  of  that  humanity 
which  He  represents,  dispossess  the  usurper,  and 
claim  creation  for  His  own. 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  193 

The  first  of  these  four  epochs  has  long  since  run 
its  course,  and  the  last  has  not  yet  begun ;  but  the 
second  and  the  third  are  now  in  progress.  The  things 
which  we  do  not  see,  and  the  things  which  we  do 
see,  are  now  unfolding  themselves,  parallel  and  con¬ 
temporaneous  with  each  other ;  the  one  in  heaven, 
the  other  upon  earth;  the  one  all  obedience,  and 
splendour,  and  holiness,  the  other  all  rebellion,  and 
shadow,  and  sin ; — like  a  sky  of  sunshine  bending 
over  a  wild  and  lawless  ocean ;  or  like  two  streams, 
one  clear,  the  other  turbid,  flowing  separate,  yet 
parallel,  and  terminating  in  a  clear,  calm  lake,  in 
which  the  one  loses  all  its  foulness,  and  into  which 
the  other  pours  all  its  translucent  crystal. 

It  is  at  this  interval  that  we  stand ;  realizing 
both  the  evil  and  the  good, — the  evil  all  around 
us,  and  the  good  above  us, — and  longing  for  the 
time  when  the  light  shall  descend  and  swallow  up 
the  darkness,  when  the  terrestrial  shall  take  on  the 
image  of  the  celestial,  when  neither  the  moral  nor 
the  physical  world  shall  be  f  without  form  and  void,’ 
when  obedience  shall  take  the  place  of  rebellion,  and 
instead  of  the  multitude  of  jarring  wills  the  one  will 
shall  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  done  in  heaven. 

Seeing  Jesus  now  crowned  with  glory  and  honour, 

N 


194 


The  Christ  of  God. 


yet  not  seeing  all  tilings  put  under  Him,  but  the 
world  lying  in  wickedness, — the  lawless  one  giving 
law  to  the  nations,  and  Satan  inspiring  the  false 
religions  of  earth, — we  should  feel  like  disappointed 
men,  and  be  tempted  to  ask,  c  Where  is  the  promise 
of  His  coming  ?  *  did  we  not  remember  that  the 
Church’s  posture  in  the  Bridegroom’s  absence  is  that 
of  patient  waiting ;  and  that  it  is  God  Himself  who 
has  taught  us  this  song  of  hope :  f  Let  the  heavens 
rejoice,  and  let  the  earth  be  glad;  let  the  field  be 
joyful,  and  all  that  is  therein ;  let  the  floods  clap 
their  hands;  let  the  hills  be  joyful  together  before 
the  Lord ;  for  He  cometh,  for  Lie  cometh  to  judge 
the  earth.’ 

This  interval  or  break  the  apostle  designates  by 
the  word  ‘  How,’ — ‘  Now  we  see  not  yet  all  things 
put  under  Him,  but  we  see  Jesus  crowned  with 
glory  and  honour.’  In  reference  to  this  interval,  he 
elsewhere  uses  the  same  word,  in  various  aspects : 
‘  Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places  made 
with  hands,  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in 
the  presence  of  God  for  us’  (Heb.  ix.  24).  ‘Be¬ 
hold,  now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now  is  the 
day  of  salvation  ’  (2  Cor.  vi.  2).  ‘  The  whole  crea¬ 

tion  groanetli  and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  195 

now1  (Eom.  viii.  22).  ‘  The  spirit  that  now  worketh 

in  the  children  of  disobedience  ’  (Eph.  ii.  2).  f  Even 
now  are  there  many  antichrists’  (1  John  ii.  18). 
Of  the  length  of  this  ‘  now/  little  is  said ;  hut  of 
its  bearings  on  us,  and  of  its  momentous  character 
as  the  womb  of  infinite  events  and  eternal  issues, 
much  has  been  written  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Again 
and  again,  for  warning,  persuasion,  instruction,  con¬ 
solation,  has  He  held '  up  to  us  this  interval,  so 
unique  in  its  character,  and  so  marvellous  in  its  re¬ 
sults;  and  made  that  word  'now  ’  to  ring  in  our  ears. 

An  interval  so  long  and  gloomy,  filled  up  during 
so  many  centuries  with  revolt,  and  defiance,  and 
blasphemy,  is  not  what  we  should  have  expected. 
Seeing  that  all  power,  on  earth  as  well  as  in  heaven, 
was  given  Him  as  the  risen  Christ ;  seeing  that  He 
fought  the  fight,  and  won  the  victory  upon  the 
cross ;  we  wonder  that  He  should  not  at  once  reap 
the  harvest ;  that  He  should  still  be  the  rejected 
of  men,  His  Church  a  minority,  His  cause  upon 
the  losing  side,  Himself  defied  by  that  world 
which  He  overcame,  that  Satan  whom  He  led 
captive,  that  death  over  which  He  triumphed,  that 
curse,  for  the  enduring  of  which  He  took  flesh 
and  died. 


196 


The  Christ  of  God. 


\ 


Under  this  sore  perplexity  and  disappointment 
we  take  refuge  where  He  did,  when  men  turned 
away  from  His  words :  ‘  Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it 
seemed  good  in  Thy  sight.’  The  purpose  of  God,  as 
we  read  it  in  the  light  of  ages,  assumes  the  neces¬ 
sity  for  the  development  of  evil,  and  error,  and 
unbelief,  and  rebellion ;  so  as  to  bring  out,  not 
merely  what  the  fall  did,  the  frailty  of  creature- 
hood,  but  the  depths  of  Satan  and  the  depths  of 
sin, — the  abysses  of  evil  that  are  to  he  found  in 
every  corner  of  a  human  heart.  In  the  sight  of 
God,  this  development  of  creature  fallibility  and  evil 
is  a  thing  of  vast  moment,  and  has  a  far  larger 
space  assigned  to  it  in  the  history  of  men  and 
devils  than  our  philosophy  would  deem  safe,  or  our 
theology  account  for.  The  revelation  of  evil  upon 
earth  before  Messiah  came  was  fearful ;  but  it  was 
explicable  on  the  fact  that  the  Destroyer  of  evil  had 
not  yet  descended.  But  its  far  wider  range  and 
more  malignant  type  since  He  came ;  nay,  since  He 
finished  His  sin-bearing  work ;  nay,  since  He  sat 
down  upon  the  throne,  is  more  perplexing,  and 
no  less  appalling.  Terrible  are  these  words  of 
His,  M  came  not  to  send  peace  upon  earth,  but  a 
sword.’ 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  197 

0  sin,  sin,  what  an  infinite  evil  art  thou  !  How 
exceeding  sinful,  and  how  prolific  in  thy  sinfulness ; 
how  tenacious  of  life;  how  expansive  in  thy  potency; 
how  remorseless  in  thy  cruelty;  how  all-pervading  in 
thy  dominion  over  creaturehood ;  one  seed  of  thine, 
dropt  in  Paradise,  covering  earth  for  six  thousand 
years  with  its  hellish  harvest !  0  heart  of  man, 

what  a  pit,  what  a  sea  of  wickedness,  and  lawless¬ 
ness,  and  atheism  art  thou  !  0  Satan,  Satan,  god 

of  this  world,  and  ruler  of  its  darkness,  how  vast 
thy  resources  of  strength,  and  skill,  and  cunning; 
defeated,  yet  gathering  power  from  defeat ;  wounded 
with  a  deadly  wound  eighteen  hundred  years  ago, 
yet  still  surviving,  and  mustering  thy  hosts  for 
battle;  still  multiplying  thy  subtle  wiles,  and  seduc¬ 
ing  sophistries,  and  strong  delusions,  and  dazzling 
falsehoods,  to  deceive  if  possible  the  very  elect ;  still 
forging  thy  fiery  darts  and  wounding  men  to  death, 
or  leading  them  captive  at  will;  still  warring  against 
truth,  hiding  the  gospel,  raging  against  the  Lamb, 
assailing  His  cross,  His  throne,  and  His  saints ; 
still  vitalizing  the  old  and  sapless  idolatries  of  earth, 
inventing  new  infidelities,  sending  forth  new  blas¬ 
phemies,  making,  not  heathendom,  nor  Moslemdom, 
but  Christendom,  thy  chief  seat  and  chosen  citadel ; 


198 


The  Christ  of  God. 


and  exercising  a  power  everywhere  that  both  alarms 
and  perplexes  ns,  as  if  the  Christ  of  God  had  not 
been  really  crowned,  or  as  if  the  reins  of  the  uni¬ 
verse  had  snapped  asunder  in  His  hands  ! 

This,  then,  is  the  fact  to  which  we  ask  your 
attention,  f  How  we  see  not  yet  all  things  put 
under  Him.’ 

The  word  translated  '  put  under  ’  does  not  merely 
intimate  abstract  right,  but  actual  surrender  and 
obedience.  That  Christ  is  Prince  of  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  Head  over  all  things,  as  well  as 
Head  of  His  body  the  Church,  is  part  of  every 
Christian  creed ;  but  to  how  few,  —  individuals, 
Churches,  nations, — is  it  aught  beyond  a  mere  ab¬ 
straction  !  The  recognition  of  the  dogma  is  accom¬ 
panied  with  no  acknowledgment  of  the  laws  in 
which  it  declares  itself,  and  with  no  subjection, 
personal,  political,  or  ecclesiastical,  to  Him  for 
whom  the  Father  claims  absolute  obedience :  ‘  Kiss 
ye  the  Son.’ 

The  abstract  right  or  prerogative  is  that  which 
the  apostle  demonstrates  from  the  eighth  psalm : 
e  Unto  the  angels  hath  He  not  put  in  subjection  the 
world  to  come,  whereof  we  speak ;  but  one  in  a  cer¬ 
tain  place  testified,  saying,  What  is  man,  that  Thou 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  199 

art  mindful  of  him  ?  or  the  son  of  man,  that  Thou 
visitest  him  ?  Thou  madest  him  a  little  lower  than 
the  angels ;  thou  crownedst  him  with  glory  and 
honour,  and  didst  set  him  over  the  work  of  Thy 
hands.’  Thus  this  psalm,  which  carries  us  back  to 
the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  and  embodies  God’s 
original  grant  of  authority  over  creation  to  the  first 
Adam,  is  accepted  by  the  apostle  as  a  proof  of 
God’s  purpose  to  confer  on  Christ,  as  the  last 
Adam,  the  lapsed  sovereignty  and  forfeited  sceptre 
of  the  first ;  to  perpetuate  in  the  line  and  dynasty 
of  that  race  which  Adam  represented  the  lordship 
of  His  handiwork ;  not  to  alienate  the  inheritance 
because  of  the  transgression  of  the  first  proprietor, 
but  to  continue  it  in  the  same  stock  and  family; 
to  place,  not  upon  an  angelic,  but  a  human  brow, 
creation’s  diadem ;  to  confide,  not  to  angelic,  but  to 
human  hands,  the  sceptre  of  the  universe. 

This  grant  of  dominion  to  the  last  Adam  the 
apostle  shows  to  be  as  wide  as  God’s  creation.  For 
thus  he  interprets  and  expands  the  psalmist’s  words, 
f  in  that  He  put  all  in  subjection  under  Him,  He 
left  nothing  that  is  not  put  under  Him.’  So  that  as 
in  person  the  last  Adam  is  more  glorious  than  the 
first,  so  is  His  throne  more  exalted,  and  His  empire 


200 


The  Christ  of  God. 


as  much  larger  in  compass  as  is  His  worthiness 
of  honour  and  fitness  to  reign.  In  Him,  as  very 
God  and  very  man,  the  crowns  of  heaven  and 
earth  are  united ;  and  the  slain  Lamb  is  He  who 
alone  is  worthy  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and 
wisdom,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing, 
from  every  creature  in  heaven,  and  earth,  and 
sea. 

What  then  ?  Has  God’s  purpose  failed  or 
changed  ?  Has  the  rebellion  of  this  present  evil 
world  proved  stronger  than  was  reckoned  on  ?  Tor 
the  right  of  dominion  and  the  actual  subjection  have 
not  been  co-extensive.  Christ  is  King  of  kings,  yet 
Satan  is  still  god  of  this  world,  and  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air.  It  is  to  this  point  of  divergency 
between  the  earthly  and  the  heavenly,  of  conflict 
between  the  rightful  and  the  actual,  that  the  apostle 
brings  us  when  he  says,  'But  now  we  see  not  yet  all 
things  put  under  Him;’  just  as  our  Lord  Himself 
did  in  the  parable  of  the  nobleman  who  went  into 
the  far  country,  to  receive  for  himself  a  kingdom, 
and  to  return ;  but  who,  in  the  interval  of  absence, 
was  but  poorly  served  by  some  of  his  servants,  and 
hated  by  his  citizens.  The  divine  meaning  of  this 
strange  divergency  between  the  upper  and  lower 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  201 

regions  of  Messiah’s  domain  is  too  large  and  too 
profound  a  subject  for  present  discussion.  The  rea¬ 
sons  for  this  delay  in  assimilating  the  terrestrial  to 
the  celestial;  in  transmuting  the  universal  right 
into  the  universal  fact;  in  following  up  the  con¬ 
ferred  sovereignty  with  the  accomplished  submission, 
would  lead  us  into  the  mystery  of  sin’s  first 
entrance  and  present  sufferance,  as  well  as  into 
the  question  why  a  sinner  at  his  conversion  is  not 
at  once  made  perfect,  and  not  at  once  translated 
into  the  heavenly  glory.  Our  object  is  simply  to 
call  attention  to  the  state  of  non-submission  to  Christ 
in  which  we  find  our  world,  and  which  is  declared 
to  be  specially  the  characteristic  of  the  interval,  or 
*  now,’  spoken  of  by  Paul.  Man  and  his  world 
have  not  yet  bent  the  knee  to  Him ;  and  the  Father 
has  not  yet  interposed  to  bring  about  the  submis¬ 
sion.  ‘  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day  of 
Thy  power,’  is  still  a  futurity  both  for  Israel  and 
for  the  world. 

Let  us  look  at  the  facts  referred  to  in  the 
words,  ‘  We  see  not  yet  all  things  put  under 
Him.’ 

I.  Christ  is  a  Saviour ;  yet  all  have  not  been 
saved.  His  power  to  deliver  is  as  boundless  as  His 


202 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


right  is  unchallengeable ;  yet  millions  have  perished 
since  He  ascended  the  throne.  All  have  not  come, 
and  the  Father  has  not  drawn  them.  Few  are 
saved ;  and  many  are  called,  hut  few  are  chosen. 
Messiah  is  still  the  rejected  of  men.  This  is  per¬ 
sonal  non  -  submission,  in  other  words,  unbelief; 
individual  refusal  of  the  great  salvation ;  the  soul’s 
deliberate  rejection  of  God’s  free  gift  of  everlasting 
life  ;  the  sinner’s  determination  not  to  submit  him¬ 
self  to  the  righteousness  of  God. 

Hear  yon  reckless  scoffer,  as  he  says,  I  want  none 
of  your  Christs  or  your  pardons,  your  gospels  or 
your  Bibles.  I  care  not  for  your  heaven,  and  do 
not  fear  your  hell,  or  your  devil,  or  your  judgment- 
day.  Hear  yon  proud  Unitarian,  as  he  tells  you, 
I  believe  not  in  your  Trinity,  or  your  Incarnation ; 
and  I  had  rather  risk  all  your  hells  than  he  so 
mean  as  to  take  a  salvation  which  I  had  not  de¬ 
served,  or  could  not  pay  for:  fair  play  and  no 
favour  is  all  I  ask.  See  yon  poor  Bomanist,  doting 
upon  his  penances,  and  throwing  them  into  the  scale 
with  the  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God.  Listen  to 
yon  Protestant,  unpricked  in  conscience  and  whole 
in  heart,  hut  religious  after  a  sort,  as  he  congratu¬ 
lates  himself  on  his  good  life  and  sound  creed  as 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  203 

his  passport  to  the  kingdom.  Mark  yon  awakened 
sinner,  who  has  just  made  the  discovery  of  the  hell 
within  him,  crying  for  mercy,  and  asking,  What 
must  I  do  to  he  saved  ?  and  to  whom  we  speak  in 
vain  of  the  completed  propitiation  of  the  cross. 
Are  not  all  these  specimens  of  non-submission  to 
the  Son  of  God, — rebellion  against  His  power  as 
Saviour  of  the  lost  ?  Are  they  not  some  of  the 
many  ways  in  which  man’s  dissatisfaction  with  the 
cross,  and  his  disbelief  of  the  divine  testimony  to 
the  work  of  the  Sinbearer,  give  vent  to  themselves ; 
in  which  is  daily  coming  to  pass  the  saying  that  is 
written,  *  How  we  see  not  yet  all  things  put  under 
Him  ’  ? 

0  man,  child  of  rebellion  and  wrath  !  hast  thou 
submitted  thyself  to  the  Son  of  God  ?  Hast  thou 
received  the  Father’s  testimony  to  Him  by  whom 
the  lost  are  saved ;  and  in  receiving  that  testimony 
ended  for  ever  thy  rebellion  against  Him  ?  Is  the 
work  done  upon  the  cross  by  which  God  justifies 
the  sinner,  thy  one  resting-place  ?  and  does  the 
great  salvation  satisfy  thee,  so  as  to  give  thee  God’s 
sure  peace,  and  introduce  thee  into  the  liberty  of 
happy  sonship  ?  Or  art  thou  still  an  alien,  a 
stranger,  a  rebel  ?  If  so,  poor  soul,  what  will  thy 


204 


The  Christ  of  God . 


non-submission  avail  thee  in  the  day  when  the 
Father  shall  take  righteous  vengeance  upon  the 
despisers  of  His  Son  ?  How  shalt  thou  escape, 
if  thou  neglectest  the  great  salvation  ? 

II.  Christ  is  Teacher;  yet  the  world  remains 
untaught.  He  has  compassion  on  the  ignorant,  hut 
the  ignorant  do  not  avail  themselves  of  His  pity. 
He  says,  ‘  Learn  of  me ;  *  but  men  refuse  His  in¬ 
struction,  and  slight  His  wisdom.  He  is  God’s 
Prophet;  the  one  infallible  Master,  in  whose  school 
there  is  no  speculation,  or  conjecture,  or  mysticism, 
but  only  truth.  He  teaches  as  One  that  has  autho¬ 
rity,  and  claims  the  submission  of  the  human  intel¬ 
lect.  Hear  me,  says  a  human  teacher ;  and  every 
one  who  has  something  of  moment  to  say  may  claim 
a  hearing.  One  Teacher  alone  is  entitled  to  say, 
Hear  me,  and  at  your  jperil  disbelieve  my  doctrine. 
Human  reason  asserts  itself  the  judge  of  divine 
revelation,  and  declines  to  receive  its  philosophy  or 
its  theology  from  any  infallibility  beyond  itself, 
from  any  oracle  beyond  its  own  intuitions.  Science 
proffers  but  scanty  allegiance  to  this  heavenly 
Teacher ;  poetry  does  not  sing  His  praises ;  history 
is  not  enwoven  with  His  name;  philosophy  craves 
no  help  from  Him ;  metaphysics  is  often  the  per- 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  205 

version  of  His  truth ;  and  fiction  excludes  Him 
from  its  pages  of  sensation,  and  passion,  and  vanity. 
The  press  is  not  upon  His  side ;  in  the  great  world 
of  journalism  He  is  hardly  named ;  in  the  chairs  of 
learning  He  has  no  seat,  and  often  in  the  pulpit  His 
truth  is  muffled,  if  not  disowned.  Scholars  blush  to 
name  Him ;  critics  scrutinize  His  words  with  less 
reverence  than  those  of  Homer  or  Cicero ;  statesmen 
go  not  to  Him  for  counsel;  the  wisdom  of  this 
world  refuses  to  owe  anything  to  Him,  and  its 
literature  would  count  itself  disfigured  by  an  allu¬ 
sion  to  the  cross.  As  a  new  classification  of  human 
ideas,  or  a  new  exposition  of  social  ethics,  somewhat 
more  elevated  than  those  of  Persia,  or  Greece,  or 
Eome,  His  Gospel  may  be  listened  to,  but  not  as 
the  good  news  from  heaven,  in  the  belief  of  which 
is  life,  in  the  non-belief  of  which  is  death. 

It  is  not  merely  yon  German  pantheist,  turning 
the  Hew  Testament  story  into  a  myth ;  nor  yon 
Trench  infidel,  dissolving  the  biography  of  the  Son 
of  God  into  a  romance ;  nor  yon  African  dignitary, 
giving  the  broad  lie  to  Moses  and  the  prophets ;  nor 
yon  philosophic  lecturer,  boasting  of  a  Christian 
liberality  that  can  afford  to  be  generous  to  Jupiter; 
nor  yon  bevy  of  poets  and  artists,  sighing  over  the 


206 


The  Christ  of  God. 


gods  of  Greece,  or  re-touching  the  worn-out  statues 
of  Apollo,  or  re-beautifying  the  obsolete  idolatries  in 
their  chants  to  Endymion  and  Astarte,  or  gilding 
(to  speak  colloquially,  whitewashing)  the  obscenities 
of  heathendom  by  their  fair  idealisms.  But  it  is 
that  the  tone  of  literature,  and  science,  and  art,  is 
not  Christian.  The  current  of  the  age, — in  the 
Church  an  under- current,  in  the  world  an  upper- 
current, — is  running  against  the  Bible,  and  especi¬ 
ally  against  the  cross  of  Christ.  The  leaders  of 
opinion  refuse  to  be  led  by  the  one  Prophet  sent 
from  God,  and  would  rather  go  back  to  the  cave  of 
the  sibyl,  or  the  grove  of  Dodona,  than  consult  the 
Urim  and  the  Thummim  on  the  breastplate  of  God’s 
Prophet-priest,  in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge.  This  intellectual  rebellion 
against  Christ  as  the  divine  Prophet,  this  philoso¬ 
phical  non-submission  to  Him,  indicates  too  plainly 
that  all  things  are  not  yet  put  under  Him. 

Going  apart,  then,  from  all  these  insincerities  and 
perversities,  separating  thyself  from  these  philoso¬ 
phies,  hast  thou,  0  brother-man,  delivered  thyself 
over  to  the  divine  tuition  of  the  great  Prophet,  so 
as  to  draw  thy  scholarship  from  Him  ?  Is  that 
truth  to  thee  which  He  teaches  ?  Is  that  error 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  207 

which.  He  disallows  ?  Hast  thou  submitted  thyself, 
thy  mind,  thy  soul,  thy  body,  thy  whole  being,  to 
Him  ?  Is  thy  daily  life  the  echo  of  His  teaching  ? 
Is  thy  business  put  under  Him  ?  Thy  employ¬ 
ments,  thy  recreations,  thy  pleasures,  thy  plans,  thy 
expenditure,  thy  efforts  for  others,  moral  or  physical, 
thy  accomplishments,  thy  gifts,  thy  learning,  thy 
speech,  thy  silence, — are  all  these  put  under  Him  ? 
Is  He  thy  absolute  Master,  the  Manager  of  thy 
affairs,  thy  Counsellor,  thy  Lawgiver,  thy  Guide  ? 
And  dost  thou  all  the  more  unreservedly  put 
what  is  thine  under  Him,  because  so  few,  in  this 
creation  of  His,  own  either  His  sceptre  or  His 
rod  ? 

These  are  solemn  words  of  our  Prophet,  *  Because 
I  tell  you  the  truth,  ye  believe  me  not’  (John  viii. 
45) ;  and  again,  ‘  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and 
they  follow  me’  (John  x.  27).  Hast  thou,  0  man, 
heard  this  voice,  and  art  thou  following  Him  who 
speaks  ?  Hast  thou  given  thyself  into  the  hands  of 
this  great  Prophet,  and  submitted  thy  whole  intel¬ 
lectual  being  unreservedly  to  His  instruction  ?  Say 
not,  I  should  in  that  case  be  a  machine,  a  slave. 
Suppose  it  were  so,  would  it  be  a  misfortune  to  be 
thus  moulded,  irrespective  of  that  proud  will  of 


208 


The  Christ  of  Cod. 


tliine ;  to  be  clay  in  the  hands  of  such  a  potter  as 
the  Son  of  God  \  But  it  is  not  so.  Never  art  thou 
more  thoroughly  free,  more  truly  thyself  \  than  when 
completely  in  the  hands  of  this  Prophet.  Por  all 
truth  is  liberty,  and  all  error  bondage ;  and  He  who 
can  give  us  most  of  truth  is  our  deliverer.  Call  it 
force  or  compulsion,  it  is  divine  force,  and  the  com¬ 
pulsion  of  Omnipotence  is  the  perfection  of  creature 
liberty,  —  the  compulsion  of  the  irresistible  light, 
which  liberates  earth  each  morning  from  the  bon¬ 
dage  of  darkness,  which  raises  the  dew-drop  from 
the  cold  grass,  and  draws  it  up  to  roam  the  sky 
in  liberty  and  brightness  ;  the  compulsion  of  the 
hammer  that  smites  in  pieces  the  prisoner’s  chains, 
and  compels  him  to  be  free  ! 

III.  Christ  is  Mediator ;  yet  the  world  has  not 
accepted  His  mediation.  Its  millions  have  chosen, 
and  still  choose,  to  stand  upon  their  own  footing, 
and  be  represented  by  no  substitute.  The  commu¬ 
nication  between  earth  and  heaven  by  one  divine 
medium  has  never  been  recognised  or  acted  on  by 
men,  though  established  and  proclaimed  by  God.  I 
do  not  refer  merely  to  the  supplanting  of  the  One 
Mediatorship  by  that  of  Mary,  or  the  saints,  or  the 
Church.  I  speak  of  man’s  non-acceptance  of  the 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  209 

priestly  intercession  of  tlie  risen  Christ,  in  various 
forms,  and.  liis  preference  of  human  mediatorship, 
or  of  no  mediatorship  at  all,  to  this.  To  stand  at  a 
distance  from  God  is  felt  to  he  incompatible  with 
our  relation  to  Him  as  creatures,  or  with  our  safety 
as  sinners.  There  must  be  a  drawing  near  of  some 
kind,  whether  that  may  amount  to  fellowship  or 
not ;  and  men  have  multiplied  inventions  for  secur¬ 
ing  an  approach,  in  the  idea  that  any  method  will 
do,  if  the  inventor  be  at  all  in  earnest.  God’s  one 
way  of  bringing  the  visible  into  contact  with  the 
invisible,  the  unholy  into  fellowship  with  the  holy ; 
His  one  meeting-place  between  Himself  and  the 
sinner,  His  one  reconciliation  between  earth  and 
heaven,  is  rejected,  and  each  man  will  have  his  own 
way  of  dealing  with  Jehovah.  Instead  of  the  one 
Priest,  the  one  temple,  the  one  altar,  the  one  sacri¬ 
fice,  there  are  priests  many,  temples  many,  altars 
many,  and  sacrifices  without  number.  The  one 
Sinbearer  is  not  accepted ;  His  blood,  His  cross, 
His  advocacy,  His  intercession,  are  treated  as  unim¬ 
portant,  if  not  rejected  wholly. 

These  are  blessed  words  of  the  apostle  elsewhere 

in  this  same  Epistle,  f  Having  therefore,  brethren, 

boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of 

o 


210 


The  Christ  of  God. 


Jesus ;  and  having  an  high  priest  over  the  house 
of  God,  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full 
assurance  of  faith.’  In  the  midst  of  a  world  to 
whom  the  sacrificial  mediation  of  Christ  is  nothing, 
shall  we  not  cleave  to  the  mighty  privilege  here 
presented  to  us  ?  Shall  we  not  personally  realize 
the  ‘  boldness  ’  which  the  blood  gives  to  each  one 
who  credits  the  divine  testimony  to  its  emboldening 
power  ?  Or  shall  we  treat  that  blood  as  if  devoid 
of  efficacy,  and  go  to  God  in  uncertainty,  as  men 
experimenting  upon  its  properties,  and  incredulous 
of  its  power  to  purge  the  conscience  and  prevail 
with  God  ? 

IV.  Christ  is  King ;  yet  the  world  has  not  yet 
honoured  His  crown.  I  do  not  speak  now  of  that 
ecclesiastical  non-submission  displayed  by  churches 
that  name  His  name,  yet  are  governed  by  other 
laws  than  His.  I  point  specially  to  the  political 
non  -  submission  manifested  by  the  kingdoms  of 
earth.  As  Prince  of  the  kinss  of  the  earth  He  is 

O 

unrecognised,  either  by  its  princes  or  its  people  ; 
and  the  thought  of  His  royal  sceptre  is  distasteful 
to  kings  and  emperors,  to  presidents  and  statesmen. 
In  their  cabinets  He  has  no  seat  assumed  to  Him. 

O 

In  their  counsels  He  is  not  consulted.  They  pre- 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  211 

pare  their  congresses,  and  hold  their  conferences, 
and  form  their  conventions,  without  reference  to 
Him.  They  enter  into  commercial  treaties ;  they 
send  out  their  ambassadors ;  they  make  peace 
or  war ;  they  construct  their  navies ;  they  muster 
their  armies ;  they  build  their  fortresses ;  they 
sheathe  and  unsheathe  their  swords,  without  taking 
Him  into  account.  We  seek  Him  in  the  palace, 
in  the  castle,  in  the  senate  -  house,  in  the  camp, 
in  the  fleet,  in  the  hall  of  justice,  but  we  find 
Him  not.  There  was  room  once  in  Bethlehem  for 
every  one  hut  the  young  Child ;  and  there  is  room 
in  this  wide  world  for  every  one  but  its  King. 
Republic,  monarchy,  despotism,  federation,  —  they 
are  all  alike  !  Christ  is  shut  out !  He  comes 
unto  His  own,  and  His  own  receive  Him  not. 

Kon-acceptance  of  the  Seed  of  the  woman  as 
Saviour  was  the  sin  of  the  earlier  ages,  from  the 
days  of  Cain  ;  and  non-submission  to  this  promised 
Seed  as  King  and  Lord  was  the  sin  of  succeeding 
times,  from  Kimrod  downward.  The  world’s  after- 
history,  in  all  lands,  and  empires,  and  religions, 
shows  us  these  two  united ;  and  earth  to  this  day 
holds  on  in  her  old  course  of  non-subjection  to  her 
rightful  King.  Babylon,  Assyria,  and  Egypt  have 


212 


The  Christ  of  God. 


their  counterparts  in  the  modern  kingdoms  of  the 
world.  Lords  many,  kings  many,  emperors  many, 
usurpers  many,  earth  has  had,  and  to  them  it  has 
bowed  the  knee.  But  to  this  one  King  of  the 
Father’s  choosing,  anointing,  and  enthroning,  it  will 
vow  no  allegiance ;  or  gives  at  the  most,  mouth- 
honour,  breath,  which  the  poor  heart  would  fain 
deny,  but  dare  not.  He  that  sittetli  in  the  heavens 
doth  laugh,  but  He  has  not  yet  descended  to  speak 
to  them  in  His  wrath,  nor  to  vex  them  in  His  sore 
displeasure.  God  is  standing  in  the  congregation 
of  the  mighty ;  He  judgeth  among  the  gods,  saying, 
How  long  will  ye  judge  unjustly,  and  accept  the 
person  of  the  wicked  ?  But  they  know  not,  neither 
will  they  understand ;  and  God  has  not  yet  arisen 
to  judge  the  earth,  nor  to  depose  its  rebellious 
dynasties,  nor  to  constrain  the  obedience  of  the 
nations,  nor  to  bring  to  pass  the  promised  service 
of  loyal  love  from  the  sons  of  the  first  Adam  to 
their  true  Head  and  Kinsman  the  ‘  second  man,’ 
the  Lord  from  heaven.  The  revolt  is  as  wide¬ 
spread  as  ever,  and  it  is  only  a  handful,  a  remnant 
here  and  there,  the  result  of  God’s  eternal  election, 
that  owns  Him  as  Head  and  Lord.  The  rest  are 
blinded  and  hardened  :  ‘  "W  ho  is  Lord  over  us  ?  ’  is 


The  Future  Glory  of  the  Christ.  213 

tlie  cry  of  earth.  All  the  world  wonders  after  the 
beast,  worships  him,  and  receives  his  name  in  their 
forehead  and  in  their  hand.  The  spirit  of  anti¬ 
christ  is  lawlessness,  the  contrast  and  contradic¬ 
tion  of  Him  who  magnified  the  law,  and  made  it 
honourable.  Antichrist  is  the  self-exalting  one, 
the  opposer  of  God  and  His  Christ ;  his  aim,  the 
monarchy  of  earth.  The  personification  of  all 
rebellion  and  self-will,  he  does  his  utmost  to  per¬ 
petuate  and  extend  the  world’s  non-reception  of 
Christ,  to  prevent  all  things  being  put  under  Him. 

As  King,  Christ  is  Judge;  but  the  world  accepts 
not  His  judgment ;  it  believes  not  in  His  acquittals 
and  His  condemnations,  either  now  or  hereafter. 
His  sentences,  as  moral  verdicts  of  approval  or 
disapproval,  they  may  receive ;  but  as  judicial 
decisions  of  the  highest  court  of  appeal,  inferring 
irreversibly  the  recompense  of  a  glorious  heaven  or 
an  unquenchable  hell,  they  repudiate  them.  In 
this  sense  Christ  is  not  Judge,  and  there  is  no 
judgment  -  day,  and  no  great  white  throne.  All 
things  are  not  yet  put  under  Him  as  Judge  ! 

As  King,  He  is  Avenger,  but  the  day  of  recom¬ 
pense  has  not  yet  come,  and  *  sentence  against  an 
evil  work  ’  has  not  yet  been  executed.  Therefore 


214 


The  Christ  of  Gocl. 


not  only  does  the  world  reject  Him  as  the  Avenger, 
but  a  large  section  of  modern  Christianity  disowns 
the  very  idea  of  vengeance,  as  incompatible  with 
love,  and  the  effeminate  theologies  of  the  age  refuse 
to  believe  that  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  is  a  realitv, 
that  the  day  of  vengeance  is  in  His  heart,  or  the 
rod  of  iron  in  His  hand.  They  have  yet  to 
learn  the  divine  antipathy  to  sin,  and  the  divine 
determination  either  to  pardon  or  to  punish  eter¬ 
nally  every  sin,  and  every  fragment  of  a  sin,  on 
whomsoever  it  shall  be  found.  They  have  yet  to 
understand  the  meaning  of  these  awful  words,  £  I 
will  tread  them  in  mine  anger,  and  trample  them 
in  my  fury.’ 

As  King,  He  is  the  Conqueror ;  but  though  His 
great  victory  is  won,  His  conquest  is  not  yet  com¬ 
plete.  The  routed  host  still  rallies,  disputes  the 
field,  nay,  recovers  ground  so  widely,  that  men  ask, 
Where  is  the  Conqueror,  and  where  is  His  victory  ? 
Heathendom  is  as  populous  and  as  idolatrous  as 
ever,  and  Christendom  is  yet  more  hostile  to  Christ 
and  to  Christianity  than  paganism  of  old.  The 
sway  of  antichrist  is  vast ;  and  Satan  is  not  yet 
bound,  but  goes  to  and  fro  throughout  the  earth, 
the  inspirer  of  its  false  religions,  the  instigator  of 


The  Future,  Glory  of  the  Christ.  215 

its  rebellions,  the  forger  of  its  errors,  the  soul  of 
antichrist,  the  spirit  that  now  worketli  in  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  disobedience. 

As  King,  He  is  Deliverer,  the  opener  of  all 
prisons,  and  the  looser  of  all  chains.  But  the 
gates  of  brass  are  not  yet  broken,  nor  the  bars  of 
iron  cut  asunder.  The  curse  still  poisons  the  soil 
and  troubles  its  tillers, — the  curse  of  barrenness, 
disease,  pain,  weariness,  vanity,  the  sweating  toil 
of  man,  and  the  travail-pangs  of  woman.  The 
wilderness  has  not  yet  been  glad,  nor  the  desert 
blossomed  as  the  rose. 

As  King,  He  is  the  Besurrection  and  the  Life ; 
but  the  dead  have  not  yet  risen,  the  grave  has  not 
refunded  its  ill-gotten  treasure.  The  dust  of  saints, 
though  precious  in  His  sight,  is  un distinguishable 
from  the  mould  of  earth ;  and  forms  beloved  of  Him 
and  beloved  of  us  are  still  the  prey  of  corruption. 
He  has  the  keys  of  Hades  and  death,  but  He  has 
not  unlocked  their  two-leaved  gates,  nor  said  to 
the  prisoners,  Go  forth.  The  churchyards  of  earth 
have  not  yet  been  emptied,  nor  has  the  sea  de¬ 
livered  up  its  dead.  The  worm  still  feeds  on  bodies 
which  are  parts  of  Christ’s  body,  and  the  Head  has 
not  yet  interposed.  The  shroud  still  wraps  forms 


216 


The  Christ  of  God. 


which,  are  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
He  who  has  the  residue  of  the  Spirit  has  not  yet 
rescued  one  particle  of  that  holy  dust.  Death  still 

i  • 

reigns,  and  ‘  he  who  has  the  power  of  death  ’  still 
continues  to  slay.  The  tomb  still  holds  the  count¬ 
less  atoms  of  redeemed  mortality,  and  this  corrup¬ 
tible  has  not  yet  put  on  in  corruption.  Death,  the 
last  enemy,  has  not  yet  been  destroyed,  and  the 
grave  can  still  boast  of  its  victory. 

How  we  see  not  yet  all  things  put  under  Him ; 
but  we  see  Jesus  on  the  Father’s  throne,  crowned 
with  glory  above,  in  anticipation  of  the  like  crown 
below.  For  earth’s  long  rebellion  shall  come  to  a 
‘  perpetual  end.’  Each  spoiler  shall  be  spoiled, 
each  conqueror  conquered,  each  prison  opened, 
each  boaster  silenced,  each  blasphemer  confounded, 
each  antichrist  smitten,  each  rival  throne  over¬ 
turned,  when  ‘  the  Christ  ’  shall  take  to  Himself 
His  great  power  and  reign. 


MURRAY  AND  GIBB,  EDINBURGH, 
PRINTERS  TO  HER  MAJESTY  S  STATIONERY  OFFICE. 


1 


